War of the Golden Powers REDUX
by Lord Siravant
Summary: Sauron stands triumphant over the ashes of the Free Peoples. But his lust for conquest is not sated, and the Dark Lord desires more. Now he has set his sights on Hyrule's Golden Power, the Triforce. But to stand against the might of Mordor, the Hero of Hyrule may have to forge a dangerous alliance with the evil he knows; Ganondorf himself. Rewrite of one of my oldest stories.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Rise of the Dark Lord**

The battle for Middle-earth was over, and the Dark Lord Sauron stood triumphant over the ashes of all his enemies. The horror began at Weathertop. The Witch-king and four of his Nazgûl had tracked down Frodo Baggins, who possessed their master's ring, and his Hobbit friends to the ruins of the great watchtower of Amon Sul. Knowing that the ranger Aragorn was nearby, the Witch-king had ordered quiet, and stealthily, they set upon the unsuspecting Hobbits and picked them off one-by-one, until only Frodo remained. The Witch-king himself stabbed Frodo with his Morgul-blade before taking the Ring, after which he and his comrades fled into the shadows, riding hard for Mordor with their prize. By the time Aragorn returned and bore Frodo to Rivendell it was too late, and Elrond put the Hobbit down to spare him the pain of passing into the Shadow-world and becoming a Wraith himself.

When Sauron reclaimed the Ring, Middle-earth fell quickly. Osgiliath and Minas Tirith fell first, then, with the corrupted wizard Saruman under his control, Sauron used the White Wizard's Uruk-hai army to lay waste to Rohan, annihilating the Rohirrim utterly. Dale and Erebor's stubborn resistance collapsed after Sauron personally rode to Moria and gained the allegiance of the Balrog and the Goblins that worshipped it, sending them to aid in the conquest of the Lonely Mountain. Sauron then gathered all the remaining evil in Middle-earth to him, the spiders of Mirkwood, the Fire Drakes and Lord Drogoth of the Withered Heath, and the repulsive Barrow-wights, and with this vast army he swept over all the last remaining bastions of defense in Middle-earth, Rivendell, Lorien, Mirkwood, even the Shire, in the process gaining possession of the three Greatest Rings that had long eluded him, adding to his power.

Though the Free Peoples fought valiantly, Sauron prevailed, and all of Middle-earth came to be his. And yet…

Yet the conquest of Middle-earth did not slake the Dark Lord's lust. He wanted more. Always more. And so, through his palantir, Sauron searched for more lands to claim as his own, more artifacts of power to claim for himself. And all too soon, he found what he was looking for. A sacred power from a separate world.

A world called…Hyrule…

XXXXXX

Princess Zelda found herself in a scorched, blackened field. Smoke from countless fires and fumes from the many rivers of lava crisscrossing the landscape choked the air, turning it poisonous. A massive volcano loomed in the distance, constantly spewing smoke and fire from its peak, which clouded the sky, painting the landscape in a perpetual veil of night. Hideous monsters and strange men were gathered in this veritable Dark World, chanting in a language she did not know.

And then she saw the tower looming over her, its foundations built into a small mountain near the center of this dark land. Its tall, black spires reached for the heavens, and on the top of this tower was a great glowing orb of light that cast a searching beam over the armies surging below it like a lighthouse. And then the beam fell upon her, and Zelda gasped in paralyzing fear as she realized that the light was no ordinary lantern or beacon.

It was a great, flaming eye. And it was staring _right at her_. Its black pupil, slit like a cat's, narrowed as it focused entirely on her.

" _ **I SEE YOU**_."

Zelda awoke to the sounds of her own screaming.

XXXXXX

 _Gerudo Desert_ …

Deep within this inhospitable wasteland, the winds of death howled, stirring the sands as they always did. Far from any civilization, a ripple seemed to form in the air before it widened to an ugly tear. This rip in dimensions quickly expanded until it formed a gaping maw between realities two hundred feet wide and a hundred feet tall. This strange portal undulated and shifted as a single being on horseback emerged, its black, red-eyed steed snorting at the unfamiliar air. The rider, clothed in rags of deepest black and tarnished silver armor, with a helmet over its hooded head that consisted of a crown of thorns, a tall spike jutting from the center of the forehead, and jagged cheek-guards forged in the likeness of a screaming monster that would have left the face exposed…had there been one, took in his surroundings in chilling silence.

And then the hooded figure drew his longsword with an ominous rasp, and as his stallion reared, the Black Rider screeched an unearthly wail that carried across the harsh winds of the desert like a portent of doom.

This had been a signal, for as the Rider screamed, the portal pulsated again as legions of beasts and wicked men surged forth with military precision, marching in step as their many banners fluttered proudly in the desert breeze. Orcs, Easterlings, Haradrim, Corsairs, Goblins, Uruk-hai, Spiders, Trolls, Wargs, Wights, Fire Drakes, and even a pair of lumbering, groaning Mûmakil poured forth from the passage between worlds, together amassing a force hundreds of thousands strong.

The invasion had begun.

XXXXXX

 _Gerudo Fortress_ …

Nabooru, current leader of the Gerudo after the imprisonment of their king by the Hylians, shuddered as she lay in her simple bed of animal furs and skins. She didn't exactly know how, but something told her that something was amiss, that an unknown danger was descending upon her people. The last time she had felt something like this, she had later learned that Ganondorf, the king she had served so loyally, had been imprisoned by the Hylians during his diplomatic visit with King Harkinian. She didn't know exactly what had happened, but the Hylian Princess Zelda had been insistent that Ganondorf was a creature of evil that needed to be stopped. The Gerudo had been outraged at this, but were quelled when Harkinian threatened them with violent retribution should they rise against the throne. The memories of the Fierce War were still fresh on many of their minds. Thus, the people of Gerudo Valley were helpless to help their king who now rotted away in a Hylian jail cell, his very life a bargaining chip to keep them pacified.

Nabooru groaned to herself as she left her bed and put on her clothes, for the Gerudo slept naked, before setting out on a walk around the fortress. She had no destination in mind; she just simply felt like wandering until the ominous feeling left her. Guards inclined their heads in greeting as she passed them, but she ignored all of this as she absentmindedly headed for the large gate that separated the Haunted Wasteland from the rest of Hyrule. Yet, as she drew nearer, she noticed a strange light in the distance beyond the gate, faint but definitely noticeable. Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Nabooru picked up her pace and climbed the ladder to the top of the gatehouse, where her view of the desert was uninterrupted.

The sharp eyes of the Gerudo were well-accustomed to seeing in darkness, this ability seconded only by that of the Shiekah themselves, and as she focused, Nabooru could see something slowly approaching the fortress from the direction of the strange light. There were numerous large shapes among them, and she could barely hear the trumpeting howls of some strange, mighty beasts, as well as the unmistakable tromping of thousands of marching soldiers.

 _What in Din's name_ …? Nabooru thought worriedly to herself.

Something deep down told her that this army had hostile intentions, and thus Nabooru whirled around and quickly climbed down the ladder before rushing back to the fortress to where she knew the alarm bell to be. Without further ado, she began ringing it fiercely, which woke up all the other Gerudo in the fortress immediately. Within moments, Aveil, Nabooru's second-in-command, rushed into the bell tower and cried, "Mistress! What's happening?!"

"Evacuate everyone at once!" Nabooru ordered urgently. "Enemy forces approach from the desert! They'll be at the gate in minutes!"

Surprised at this news, but knowing that Nabooru was not one for raising false alarms, Aveil quickly went to round up all the Gerudo, while Nabooru went to fetch all their horses. "Make haste! We cannot afford to waste time! Leave everything behind!"

And then a booming trumpet assailed her ears, and Nabooru turned just in time to see a massive, fifty-foot-tall behemoth with a long trunk flanked by four huge tusks and two smaller ones reach the gate, and with a single thrust of its great head, the beast smashed apart the gate. It was then that Nabooru saw the war tower on the beast's back, clamoring with men dressed in ornate desert clothing, their faces sunken and sallow as they readied their bows and shouted commands in a foreign tongue.

"Get to the horses, _NOW_!" Nabooru cried as the Haradrim archers began loosing arrows into anything they saw moving below them, while their Mûmak mount bellowed angrily as its handlers goaded it into battle.

Gerudo warriors guarded their young and elderly as they made a mad dash for the stables, and fury arose in Nabooru's heart as a handful of enemy arrows found their targets, biting into the unprotected backs of her people. A mother clutching her baby protectively against her chest fell with a cry at the arrow lodged in her back. Nabooru quickly turned and seized the crying infant from her mother's lifeless grip, holding her against her chest as she ran with the other Gerudo towards the stables. The gigantic oliphaunt let out a piercing bellow as its Haradrim handlers goaded it into pursuing the fleeing desert warriors.

Nabooru turned to see the massive animal gaining on them, and then noticed the bald man standing on the beast's forehead. He was covered in war paint and gaudy jewelry, with a bamboo war frame adorned with numerous trophies attached to his back, and he appeared to be the one steering the beast, if the reins he held that led to the Mûmak's ears were any indication. Seeing a nearby spear, Nabooru took it in one hand and stood before the approaching Mûmak, clutching the still-crying baby in her other arm. She and the Haradrim shaman locked eyes for a brief, terrifying moment before she drew her arm back and threw the spear like a javelin.

Her aim was true, and the spear burrowed itself in the center of the Haradrim shaman's chest, the force of the blow knocking him off his mount. As the reins were attached to his body to prevent him from falling off or losing them, his corpse pulled against the Mûmak's ear, and with a yowl of pain, the Mûmak swerved aside, its body smashing into the Gerudo Fortress and reducing much of it to rubble as the Haradrim on its back shouted in their strange tongue. However, this meant that it was no longer interested in pursuing them, and so Nabooru returned to engineering her people's escape.

Soon all of them were mounted on their horses, and with Nabooru in the lead, they rode off into the night, making for the green fields of Hyrule.

Meanwhile, the Mûmak had knelt down in order to stop the pain pulling at its ear, allowing the Haradrim soldiers to dismount and look over the beast and their dead shaman. As this happened, the Witch-king of Angmar rode into the Gerudo Valley, having sighted the natives making their escape. A grizzled old Orc rode up to the Nazgûl Lord's side on a Warg, and the Witch-king hissed in a terrible, spine-chilling voice, "Sharkû, send out your Warg Riders and hunt them down. Slaughter any who resist."

Sharkû grinned. "I'd hate to be those buggers right about now!"

XXXXXX

 _Spirit Temple_ …

"Oh dear, it seems a most unexpected event has occurred, sister!"

"Indeed…it seems someone has a mind to usurp our great King of Darkness, sister. Unacceptable. Unacceptable indeed! Ho ho ho ho…"

"Hee hee hee hee…perhaps we should do something about it, dear sister."

"Indeed, sister…we will wait for the perfect moment, heh heh heh…"

"…and free the great Ganondorf from his insulting imprisonment at the hands of King Demise's enemies, ho ho ho!"

"The King of Evil will rise again!"

"And put an end to this arrogant invader! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

XXXXXX

The Gerudo refugees rode hard for a good half hour as they reached the grassy plains of Hyrule Field. Here the wind was not so harsh, and the cool night air was gentle against their hardened skin. Finally they all slowed to a stop, turning to look back at the homes they had left.

"Driven from our homes yet again!" Aveil cried, a despairing edge in her voice. "Have the Goddesses abandoned us completely?!"

Nabooru silently found herself wondering that, what with all the evil times that had befallen her people while the Hylians continued to prosper and flourish. The War of Unification, or the Fierce War as the Gerudo called it, had seen her people driven from their ancestral homelands near Lake Hylia to the very edge of the desert, all because the Gerudo people did not want to answer to the Hylian throne. Their resistance had accomplished nothing but the loss of their fertile homeland, forcing them to essentially whore themselves out to their own enemies and resort to thievery just to make ends meet. And then, when their king, Ganondorf, seeking information about the so-called "Triforce", went to Hyrule Castle to suck up his pride and submit himself before Harkinian in order to secure precious supplies for his people, he was instead imprisoned on accusations that he was a threat to the safety of the kingdom, that he wanted the Triforce to unleash an age of darkness upon the world. The Hylian Princess had called him a _monster_. And then, when the Gerudo objected to this mistreatment, Harkinian responded by threatening them with brutal conquest should they dare rise against the Hylians. And now, for the second time, they had been driven from their homes, and this time by enemy forces they didn't even recognize.

"We have lost Din's favor!" one elderly Gerudo wept. "What have we done to deserve these evil times?!"

Steeling her eyes, Nabooru shouted, "That's enough of that talk! None of us know what is happening, but I swear to you I will not let it be our undoing!"

"Where will we go?" Aveil demanded. "We are not welcome on Hylian soil unless we come with open breasts and promises of sexual pleasure!"

However, before Nabooru could think of an answer, she noticed something coming out of the Gerudo Valley, and could distinctly hear the wicked howls of wolves on the hunt. With a split-second to think, Nabooru made her decision; "To the Lost Woods! Ride for the Lost Woods!"

Their horses whinnying, the Gerudo refugees galloped towards the relative safety of the forbidden forest, as it was closer to the desert than the other lands populated by Hyrule's other tribes. Far behind them, but slowly gaining, was a pack of fearsome Warg Riders, the tireless hunters intent upon pursuing the intoxicating scent of horsemeat. The Gerudo rode hard and fast across the plains of Hyrule, with the Wargs in hot pursuit, until the entrance to the Lost Woods met their sight.

XXXXXX

Unbeknownst to all, the presence of both parties was felt by someone deep in the forest. His branches shuddering with confusion and concern, the Great Deku Tree, guardian of the Kokiri Forest, perceived the approaching groups from afar.

"Gerudo? What purpose have they to come here? Ah…the second group…I sense a terrible darkness in them. And the Gerudo, I sense fear in them. The second force pursues them…this bodes ill. Has darkness pervaded our fair land yet again…?"

XXXXXX

All too soon, the Gerudo refugees reached the outskirts of the vast forest, their horses pausing and whickering nervously at the imposing forest within. All of them knew the stories of those whom had entered the Lost Woods and become trapped, their flesh and souls withering away until they were little more than Stalfos, cursed to wander between the enchanted trees for eternity. But with their backs against the wall, the desert warriors knew they had little choice. Thus they rode on, past the dark trees, into the heart of the Lost Woods. Nabooru was the last to enter, but instead of following her comrades, she handed the baby she had been holding to Aveil and urged her commander ahead with the others. Aveil reluctantly obeyed as Nabooru turned her horse about and unsheathed her trusty scimitar, awaiting the Warg Riders that even now were drawing dangerously close, the large, horse-sized wolves snarling and howling as they closed in.

Soon enough, they came close enough that Nabooru could make out the features of her pursuers. Ugly, black-skinned creatures with sharp, broken teeth and yellow eyes that burned like poison rode atop large wolves with thick, coarse brown fur. The wolves themselves were not like any wolves Nabooru had seen before. Their faces almost had a bear-like quality to them, and they had long, powerful humped necks like hyenas. Their small, black eyes were set into either side of their outthrust heads to allow the greatest possible range of vision, and their front legs were brimming with powerful muscles that could easily withstand a collision with a full-grown horse or man. There were at least fifty of these Warg Riders, and Nabooru knew she couldn't possibly take them all. But she was determined to give her people as much of a headstart as possible, and if she died, then so be it. Aveil was a skilled commander; she would make a suitable replacement as their de facto leader.

The Warg Riders slowed down as they sized up the single Gerudo staring them down fearlessly, her scimitar glinting threateningly in the moonlight. The Orcs hissed and jeered at this, for they knew she was no match for all of them. The lead Warg bared its yellowed teeth as it took a single step into the boundaries of the forest…

And then suddenly shrank back, its ears folding against the back of its head as it recoiled in sudden fear. Nabooru blinked in surprise as this unexplainable aura of terror washed over the Wargs and their Orc riders, and soon she realized she could feel a strange, ominous pressure all around her. Somehow, though, she could feel that this presence was not directed at her, but at her cowering adversaries, who, overcome with fear, turned tail and fled back the way they came.

Before Nabooru even had time to ponder this sudden turn of events, she suddenly felt the strange presence center on her, and while she did not feel an overwhelming sense of terror as her enemies had, she could still feel the power behind this force that was currently peaceful, but would not hesitate to crush her should she induce its wrath.

 _Nabooru of the Gerudo peoples, why dost thou come here to this forbidden forest_?

Nabooru recalled that the Lost Woods had a guardian deity of some sort, and surmised that this must be it. Clearing her throat, Nabooru answered out loud, "We have been driven from our homes by an unknown enemy. Had we stayed to fight, we would have been destroyed, as the enemy forces far outnumbered and outclassed our own."

 _Then…it is as I feared. Hyrule has a new enemy, another Dark Lord who seeks to take the power of the gods for himself_.

Nabooru could feel the worry seeping into the guardian's presence, and answered with a confused, "A-another Dark Lord? Who was the first?"

 _Alas, this situation shall prove difficult to explain, for a number of reasons. However, know this; thou art welcome in thine forest for now, for I know very well of thy soured relations with the Hylian people. My children are at this moment guiding your people to a safe haven. I will lead thee to them. There, we may discuss this matter in further detail, and also provide thee with information regarding what thou believeth is the wrongful imprisonment of your king_.

Nabooru furrowed her brow at this, but understanding that an explanation was promised to her, Nabooru allowed the forest guardian to mentally guide her to the village of the Kokiri, where the rest of the refugees were dismounting their horses to tend to their children and elders. Some saw the nearby springs that ran through the village and rushed over to collect the precious supplies of water. All around them, young children dressed in green clothing looked at them from the safety of their homes, all of which were built into large tree stumps. Each of them had a fairy flitting over their shoulders.

Nabooru paid them no heed, for her attention was drawn to the utterly massive tree, of which only the canopy she could see, as its trunk was hidden from view by a mossy wall of stone.

 _Yes, child of the desert. Approach me, and all shalt be made clear to thee_.

Turning towards Aveil, Nabooru ordered, "Look after the others. It seems the guardian spirit of this forest wants to have a chat with me."

"Mistress, are you sure…?" Aveil began.

"That guardian spirit drove off those wolf-riders _and_ has promised us all safe refuge," Nabooru argued. "I choose to trust him. For now. Look after them."

Aveil nodded in resignation as Nabooru headed for the grove which contained the forest guardian. She wound her way past a few Deku Babas which were currently asleep, as they, being plants, were not as active during the daytime, before emerging in a large grove in which stood a truly massive tree with a human face like that of an old man, with a large nose, thick eyebrows, and a mustache.

"Greetings, Nabooru of the Gerudo," the tree spoke in a voice that creaked like ancient, groaning wood. "I am the Great Deku Tree, guardian of the Lost Woods and all who inhabit it."

Nabooru bowed humbly, knowing that such ancient beings deserved great respect. As she stood, she sheathed her scimitar and said, "Thank you for providing a refuge for my people. I feared that, with the loss of our desert home, there was nowhere left in all of Hyrule we could find safety. I thank you."

"I harbor no ill will towards your people, despite the actions of your king," the Deku Tree answered.

"Everyone speaks of what King Ganondorf has done, and yet we, his own people, know not what these crimes really are!" Nabooru demanded. "Tell me, Great Spirit; what did our king do to earn such special enmity amongst the Hylians?"

"Patience," the Deku Tree replied. "It is a long tale, and one that you might find difficult to believe, due to the fantastical nature of the circumstances. Thus, I shalt not tell it alone. Ah! Link, there thou art, my boy!"

Nabooru turned to see a Kokiri boy with blond hair and blue eyes sleepily making his way into the grove. He seemed, strangely enough, to be a little older-looking than the other Kokiri, roughly around fourteen or fifteen years of age. And then his weariness left him as the boy regarded Nabooru like he recognized her.

"Nabooru?" he marveled.

Nabooru's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Have we met, boy?"

The boy scratched the back of his head nervously, flashing a weak smile. "Um…yes…no…maybe? It's a little hard to explain."

"Indeed," the Deku Tree said, catching their attention. "The story I am about to tell involves the very manipulation of time to prevent an avatar of evil from plunging this land into a new age of darkness. A story of which Link here was in the very center."

Nabooru looked at the kid, who just grimly nodded. It was then that Nabooru noticed he had a sword and shield strapped to his back, and that his blue eyes, while full of kindness, were bereft of the usual carefree innocence inherent in the eyes of a child. Nabooru could recognize the eyes of a hardened warrior when she saw one.

"It began when your king approached me, demanding that I hand over the sacred stone of the forest, as it was one of three keys necessary to open the Door of Time that led to the Sacred Realm, where the Golden Power of the Goddesses was kept. I refused, sensing that an evil shadow clouded his heart, and when I did, he lost his temper and unleashed a Gohma Queen upon me. Link here defeated it, but by the time he had done so, it was too late to save me. I died, and he was banished from the forest by the other Kokiri, who blamed him for my death in their confusion and anguish. Thus he began his journey to seek out Princess Zelda of Hyrule and protect the Triforce from the clutches of Ganondorf.

"However, this quest was in vain, for Ganondorf tricked him and the Princess into opening the Sacred Realm for him, allowing him to touch the Sacred Power of Gold. But when he did, it recognized that his heart was not in balance, and in order to protect itself from misuse, it split apart, one piece going to Link, another to Zelda, while Ganondorf retained a single piece for himself. To gain his wish, Ganondorf needed to regather the scattered Triforce parts, and during the seven following years he searched, all of Hyrule was thrust into terrible darkness. Monsters corrupted by evil powers in ages past stalked the land under his will, waylaying the few travelers brave enough to still make journeys across Hyrule Field. Zora's Domain was frozen over, with the Zoras themselves trapped beneath the ice, causing Lake Hylia to lose fresh water. The Gorons were imprisoned with the intention of being fed to a dragon for standing against him. This very forest was overrun with monsters in such numbers that my children could not even leave their homes. Hyrule Castle Town was left as a haven for the walking dead. The sacred temples of the Sages were corrupted and defiled in Ganon's name. Even your people found that their situation did not improve with Ganondorf taking power, for he had lost interest in you the moment his hand touched the Triforce, and his lust for power conquered his mind completely and utterly, and you ultimately led a rebellion against him, helping Link in the Spirit Temple and being cursed by Ganondorf's adoptive mothers, the Twinrova Sisters, for your trouble.

"Despite all this, Link overcame every obstacle Ganondorf threw at him, freed the Sages from their imprisonment, of which thou art one, gained the Master Sword of legend, and defeated him at the seat of his own throne. His battle won, Link was sent back to our time, before any of these tragic events could occur, and warned Princess Zelda of what would happen. Thus, Ganondorf was imprisoned so that he could not threaten Hyrule as he would have had events been allowed to transpire as they had before."

Nabooru took this all in with an expression of utter disbelief. "I-I don't understand!" she stammered. "An age of darkness?! Why would King Ganondorf do such a thing?! He always talked about restoring the honor and wellbeing of our people, of bringing us into an age of _prosperity_!"

"Indeed," the Deku Tree replied sagely. "But noble though his intentions might have initially been, there is no denying the fact that he was destined for his dark path since the moment he was born."

"What are you talking about?" Nabooru demanded.

"Your king's existence is an unnatural one," the Deku Tree explained solemnly. "He was not born entirely as his own person. Deep within his soul burns the malice of a being who has otherwise been long dead since time immemorial. Ganondorf's soul, from the moment of his birth, was corrupted by the lingering malice of Demise, the great Demon King who spearheaded the Dark God Majora's campaign against the people of Hyrule during the Demon Wars of eons past. Demise had been slain by one of Link's ancestors, but not before he swore vengeance by promising a curse upon his bloodline and that of the Princess that would breathe life into a manifestation of his undying hatred towards both of their legacies that would plague their descendants forever. Your king, Ganondorf, became the vessel for that hatred, and the Twinrova nurtured that darkness within him in secret so that, when the time came, Ganondorf would take up his destined mantle as Demise's legacy, the new Demon King. Even his noblest intentions would ultimately manifest in Hyrule's ruin, for Demise rules his mind and will, even if he does not know it himself. That, Nabooru of the Gerudo, is why your king is now a prisoner of the Hylians. Because what they spoke of him is true, and that should he touch that sacred relic again, the foreign evil in his heart will give rise to a new Demon King, one who will trouble Hyrule for eternity, long after your people have faded into obscurity."

Nabooru was silent for several minutes before she fervently began shaking her head. "This is insanity. Time travel? Ganondorf, an evil villain? Me, a _Sage_?"

"The story may seem impossible to believe now," the Deku Tree said, "but in time, you will come to accept the truth. But right now, we have other matters to attend to."

"Why _are_ you guys here anyway?" Link asked, and Nabooru noted with surprise that there was no trace of suspicion or hostility in his voice, just genuine curiosity.

Nabooru sighed. "We were driven out of our fortress by an unknown enemy. I don't know who they are; some are men, and others are beasts the likes of which I've never seen before, and they all came from the desert."

Link looked horrified. "Are you saying Hyrule's been invaded?"

"I don't know, but possibly."

"Listen well, the both of thee," the Deku Tree interrupted. "When I drove off the monsters pursuing you, I was able to see into their twisted thoughts. These creatures are not of our world. They serve a very powerful Dark Lord who is known by servant and foe alike as Sauron. It seems this Dark Lord waged terrible war upon the forces of good in his own world, and ultimately emerged triumphant. But as is the nature of those who lust for power, Sauron wanted more, and thus he discovered our world and the Golden Power it contains. Now his forces have invaded our realm, with an army of wicked men and vicious beasts hundreds of thousands strong, and I can ascertain that this is but one of several similarly-sized armies at our new enemy's disposal."

Link put a hand to his forehead, a pained look on his face. "Can Hyrule never have more than a moment of peace? After everything I did to stop Ganondorf from rising, you're telling me some new Dark Lord _from another world entirely_ is out to get the Triforce now?!"

"It is as you say," the Deku Tree replied simply. "I sense dark and confusing times ahead for all of Hyrule's people." Sparing a knowing glance at Nabooru, the guardian deity then added, "If Hyrule is to survive, some unlikely, and perhaps some _unsavory_ alliances must be made. Hyrule divided cannot hope to stand against this new threat."

Link sighed before straightening up, a steely look in his eyes. "What do you need me to do, Great Deku Tree?"

"Thou must ride for Hyrule Castle immediately," the Deku Tree declared. "Nabooru, I implore thee to go with him. I shalt also send Saria to accompany you, for she too is destined to take up the mantle of a Sage. Once there, you must bring together Darunia of the Gorons and Princess Ruto of the Zoras, as they too carry within them the potential for Sagehood. The power of the ancient Sages must be fully reawakened, and their peoples united, if we are to have any chance at stemming this tide of evil and greed."

"And what of my people?" Nabooru demanded. "Can I entrust them into your care?"

"Do not fear for them, child of the sands. I have already set aside an area of forest for them to build in safety. As long as they do not hurt the forest unnecessarily, they are welcome for as long as they require refuge."

Nabooru bowed her head. "Thank you, Great Deku Tree. I will…be certain to…take your account of things into consideration."

XXXXXX

 _Gerudo Fortress_ …

With a significant amount of the Gerudo Fortress reduced to rubble by the rampaging Mûmak, the Witch-king could only use so much of it as a base of operations. Still, enough was intact for the Nazgûl Lord's needs, and there was another section of the Fortress that ran underground in a series of labyrinthine tunnels and puzzle rooms. A large party of Orcs and Easterlings was busily setting to work clearing the place of monsters and traps in order for them to move in and take up residence, though the majority of this vast army was forced to take up residence outside the fortress in a sea of tents, ranging from the Orc-tents crudely stitched together from whatever had been their most recent meals to the ornate, sandy-yellow palace-tents of the Haradrim and Easterlings.

Inside the Fortress, the Witch-king stood alone in one of the chambers, striding towards a table set in the middle of the room. Reaching into his robes, the Witch-king withdrew a large, glossy-black orb of stone and set it on the table. The stone was roughly the size of a man's head, and gray, cloudy wisps swirled beneath the stone's surface.

This was the palantír of Minas Tirith, seized from the White City as it fell to Sauron's hordes, and now in the Witch-king's possession to serve as a way to instantly communicate with his lord. Sitting down in the crude, wooden stool, the Witch-king sat up straight and held his gauntleted hand over the palantír. Soon enough, the cloudy wisps roiled faster and faster, until the image of a flaming eye burst through, fixating on the Nazgûl. Soon the eye dissolved into the armored face of the Witch-king's master, and the Witch-king inclined his head in subservience.

" _What news do you have, my Witch-king_?" Sauron demanded.

"The invasion was a success, My Lord. We came across a native encampment and drove them out without incident. We have taken their fortress as our base of operations."

" _Excellent_ ," Sauron replied. " _At first light tomorrow, begin scouting out the surrounding territories and identifying key targets. Find out everything you can about the location of the Golden Power they call the Triforce. And when we have what we need, strike swift and fierce, so that none may arise to stand against us_."

"As you will it, Master," the Witch-king hissed.

" _If, however, you do encounter stronger resistance than expected, I will send you Durin's Bane, Drogoth, and the rest of the Nine should you need them_."

"Indeed, Master."

" _Now go; time is of the essence. Before year's end, I want the banner of the Eye flying in every citadel of Hyrule, and the Triforce in my possession_!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Dark Tidings**

 _Hyrule Field_ …

A horse and young pony silently galloped across the plains of Hyrule as the white moon slowly began to dip below the horizon to make way for the morning. Atop the adult horse was Nabooru, and next to her was Link upon his trusty steed, Epona, who, to Nabooru's surprise, he chose to ride bareback. The Kokiri girl Saria sat behind him, her arms clasped around his middle in an effort to hang onto him. Nabooru could see how close horse and rider were, and found herself impressed, for the Gerudo were unequaled in horsemanship in the whole of Hyrule through the bond of trust that existed between horse and rider.

Nabooru stifled a laugh. _Were he not a boy, this child would make a fine Gerudo_.

Abruptly, however, Link stopped, a look of unease flashing across his face. "Link?" Saria asked worriedly, casting her wide eyes all around the area.

Nabooru slowed her own horse and pulled up beside him. "What's the matter?" she asked gravely as she noted Link looking around, his elfin ears pricking slightly.

Perhaps there was some truth to the Hylian claim that their hearing was so precise they could hear the voices of their own gods, for Link replied, "We need to move. NOW. I think we're being followed!"

As those words left his lips, Nabooru abruptly heard a distant, and horribly familiar sound from far behind them; a chorus of wolf-howls as the Warg-riders took up the hunt. Saria gasped in fear at their cries, for they contained a sense of deliberate malice she had not heard ever before.

"Damn!" Nabooru cursed. "They must have been waiting for us somewhere outside the forest! I thought the Deku Tree scared them off!"

"C'mon, Epona," Link whispered in his horse's ear. "Give it all you got. We have to get to Hyrule Castle!"

Epona whinnied and reared before she shot off towards Hyrule Castle with a speed that belied her youthful size. Nabooru followed after as the distant silhouettes of the Warg-riders emerged over the hills, pursuing the scent of their prey. The slavering hounds and their gruesome riders snarled and screeched as they took up the chase.

"Ride!" Nabooru cried. "The beasts are gaining!"

Even as Link and Nabooru galloped across the plains of Hyrule, more and more howls joined the growing chorus as other Wargs and Warg-riders joined the hunt, numbering well over fifty. As the two parties thundered across Hyrule Field, night gave way to dawn, and finally to morning as the rays of the sun fell upon them, bathing the world in rich, warm hues. With the rays of light came a ray of hope, as the distant spires of Hyrule Castle stood out against the horizon, casting a long, early-morning shadow across the ground. But the Wargs were tireless, well-accustomed to such pursuits, and ever so slowly they were closing the distance between predator and prey.

Nabooru looked over her shoulder at the Warg-pack bearing down on them before she turned towards Link. "Can we make it?" she cried out over the thundering of their horses' hooves and the distant baying of the Wargs. "We might not have much choice other than to fight them!"

Link looked over his shoulder as well before swearing under his breath. "There's too many of them, and I don't want to risk Epona or Saria getting hurt! Just a little more! I don't think they'll dare enter the city!"

Nabooru grimly nodded as she dug her heels into her own horse, spurring it onwards. Soon, they were close enough to make out the morning guard detail lowering the oaken drawbridge that allowed access into Castle Town, the heavy creaking of the chains as they pulled the drawbridge down growing more and more audible. Saria looked behind them and breathed a shuddering sigh of relief as she saw the Warg-pack abruptly break off and turn back, finally giving up the chase.

"T-thank Farore," she said. "They're turning back!"

The others sighed in relief also, but taking no chances, continued to ride hard into Hyrule Castle Town. A few peasants grumbled irritably as they avoided the two horses barreling into the town square. The three of them eventually dismounted as Nabooru led them over to the town stables where horses were looked after while the owners conducted business in the city. Both Link and Nabooru paid the stable owner a handful of rupees for each of their horses before venturing out into the town proper. Casting their collective gazes at Hyrule Castle, Nabooru finally asked out loud, "So, you have any plan on how we're going to gain an audience with the King and Princess? They're notoriously difficult to get a hold of, especially if you're a commoner…or a _Gerudo_ ," she finished bitterly under her breath.

Link did not fail to hear that last part, but pushed it aside as he fingered inside his pack. "Don't worry; I have a way."

"So _that's_ a castle," Saria marveled as she followed Link and Nabooru towards the majestic structure. "I'd heard tale of them, but never seen one…it's so big!"

Link smiled. "I was pretty impressed too, first time around. But this place pales in comparison to Stone Tower, as far as size goes."

"Stone Tower?" Nabooru repeated, having never heard of such a place.

Link shrugged his shoulders. "Kind of a long story there. I could tell you when we have time, but right now, we've gotta see Zelda."

Nabooru quirked an eyebrow at this as they passed through the marketplace and the hordes of shoppers out to get the best morning deals. "You called her by her name. Do you normally address the Princess so casually?"

Link chuckled nervously as he rubbed his shoulder, a slight blush tinging his cheeks that Saria thankfully failed to notice due to her attention being diverted by her new surroundings. "Aha, well, s-she and I did kind of go through a lot together. Most of it only I remember, though, thanks to all those time-bending shenanigans I did. But she knew I was a person she could trust, and we've had a few secret meetings ever since I put everything right."

Nabooru saw an opportunity and she took it. Smirking knowingly, she remarked, " _Secret_ meetings with the Princess of Hyrule? In a few years, bachelors and married men alike would kill for that kind of privilege."

Link's face promptly went red as a tomato at the implications, and Nabooru allowed herself a moment of laughter. "You know what? I like you, kid! You're refreshing!"

Link fiercely shook his head before he muttered, "Why do girls always act like this around me?"

Nabooru laughed again. "Ha! You'll understand in a few more years, kid!"

Unbeknownst to any of them, a single figure watched them from afar, out of sight, and as they approached the guardhouse, the figure vanished from view.

As the guard saw them approach, he stood straighter and announced, "Halt! Do you have some business at the castle?"

"Yes," Link answered. "We're here on behalf of the Great Deku Tree of the Lost Woods, who bid us come here to speak to the King and Princess Zelda about matters pertaining to the good of Hyrule."

"That's a pretty bold claim there, kid," the guard responded curtly, thinking this to be some elaborate, childish hoax. "Since when did the Great Deku Tree consort with the desert thieves and name a couple of little kids his messengers?"

Nabooru bristled at the insult, but before she could reprimand the guard, someone abruptly leapt down next to the man, making the soldier nearly jump out of his skin.

"AGH! L-Lady Impa!" he stammered as the Princess's personal attendant stood up straight and folded her arms.

"Let them pass," the Sheikah commanded sternly without looking at the soldier. "Princess Zelda is expecting them, and I was sent to receive them."

The guard hurriedly bowed. "Y-yes, Lady Impa! Right away!"

Without further ado, the guard opened the gate and stood back at attention. "And, guardsman?" Impa spoke up as an afterthought.

"Y-yes, ma'am?"

"Show the Gerudo more respect. It is not by choice that they must live such lives. Remember that well."

The soldier wilted under Impa's stern, unwavering gaze and muttered an apology, after which he said no more. With that out of the way, Impa inclined her head at each of them in greeting. "Nice to see you again, Link. And I greet you as well, Nabooru of the Gerudo and Saria of the Kokiri. Come; Princess Zelda is waiting."

"Zelda knew we were coming?" Link asked in surprise.

"Yes," Impa replied as she led the way towards the castle. "And she is also, to some extent, aware of this newest threat creeping into our fair land."

"She's been having dreams again, hasn't she?" Link queried.

Impa nodded. "Recently, she received a dream in which she was in some fell, ash-choked land, surrounded by monsters and men of evil mind, over which loomed a stone tower with a fiery light sweeping over them all like some infernal lighthouse. But when the light fell upon her, she saw that the source of the beam was no mere torch, but a great, flaming eye, lidless and slit like a cat's."

Link involuntarily shivered. "That sounds creepy."

Nabooru, however, recalled something at this. "When the enemy breached our defenses, a great war beast laid waste to our fortress. All around it were markings and standards depicting snakes, as well as a stylized eye symbol. This flaming eye…could it be their leader?"

"Not precisely. More like…a manifestation of this leader's power, from what the princess understands."

"When the Great Deku Tree drove off the monsters that were pursuing us," Nabooru explained, "he claimed to have looked into their thoughts and gained some information about who they are, where they come from, and what their goals are. And I don't think you're going to like any of it."

"I thought as much," Impa replied in resignation. "Despite all our best efforts, it seems peace is determined not to last in our fair land."

"And on that note, what of Ganondorf?" Nabooru abruptly demanded. "How fares my lord?"

Impa's gaze became steely as she answered, "It is not my place to discuss the legacy of Demise. But I will say that, for the time being, he remains alive."

Nabooru's eyes narrowed. " _For the time being_?"

"…I can say no more," Impa answered sternly. "If you wish to hear more, you will have to speak to the Princess, as we both know King Harkinian wouldn't even grace you with a response."

"Does he know I'm here?" Nabooru bitterly asked as they neared the castle gates.

"Not yet," Impa answered. "It is Princess Zelda who wishes to see you, and after you have spoken, she will bear your tidings to the King. I can only hope he listens, but the years of peace and his own arrogance have made him complacent."

Link blinked in surprise. "I thought you were loyal to the Royal Family…"

"I am. But that does not mean I condone every act they have done in the name of Hyrule. I for one attempted to dissuade Harkinian from attempting to unify the land, but his lust for glory would not be denied. Ah, we're here."

Link, Saria, and Nabooru looked away from Impa as they approached the drawbridge that led to the castle proper. Wordlessly they waited as the heavy drawbridge lowered, allowing them access into the castle. Impa led the way, while Link and Saria cast their eyes this way and that, taking in the scenery. Link had only ever been to the courtyard where he and Zelda had first met, and Saria had, of course, never been in a castle at all. Nabooru, on the other hand, stared stonily ahead as she walked, pointedly ignoring the looks and occasionally suspicious glares sent her way.

After several minutes of maneuvering through the many halls of Hyrule Castle, Impa finally led them over to a particular door and stopped in front of it, turning to face them. "This is Princess Zelda's personal bedchamber. Know that I have only allowed you to be brought here because the Princess feels she can trust all of you."

"How can she trust us?" Saria spoke up quizzically. "I've never even met her before!"

Impa cast a knowing smirk Link's way. "All of us here are special in a certain way. Link here knows, and I suspect you have been told some aspect of it."

"I'm supposed to be a Sage, apparently," Nabooru replied, still not certain she believed it.

"Indeed, as is young Saria here. And myself."

Nabooru and Saria's eyes widened. "You're a Sage-to-be too?" Saria asked.

Still smirking, Impa opened the door as she said, "Come, let's not keep the Princess waiting."

XXXXXX

 _Hyrule Castle Dungeons_ …

Behind steel bars enhanced with enchanted runes, and clad in binding chains and cuffs that restricted magic, a dark man lay slumped against the ground, bitterly thinking to himself.

 _Curses…how long have I been here now_? Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, thought miserably to himself, glaring at the damned cuffs keeping his arms chained against the wall. _It's been so long since I've seen the sunlight…only this oppressive darkness keeps me company now. No one has come to see me. None of my sisters…not even my mothers. Have the Hylians forbade them from seeing me? Or have they forgotten me altogether_?

The thought of that, whether true or not, made him bristle with anger. _After everything I did to keep them alive, they have done nothing to free me of these accursed chains_!

He struggled for a futile moment against his chains, but stilled quickly, knowing it was a waste of effort. He took a deep breath to calm himself. _Patience, you fool. Our loyalty to each other is what's kept our people alive for so long. They have not abandoned me; they couldn't have. All of us just know too well the strength of the Hylian army. Damn those pigheaded louts! Them and their imperialistic ambitions_!

 _My, my, aren't we upset, my son_?

Ganondorf's head shot up in surprise. "What…?" he spoke out loud, but could see nobody in the darkness.

 _Oh dear, I think his time in the dungeons has affected our poor boy, sister_ …

Ganondorf started as he realized he was experiencing telepathy, and that the "voices" he was hearing were familiar.

 _Twinrova_ …

 _Oh good, so your wits haven't been dulled after all. That's my boy_!

 _Where are you? Why have you let me rot in this cesspit for so long_?!

 _Ho ho ho ho, I assure you, my child, though the rest of the faithless Gerudo have abandoned you and now look to that fool Nabooru for leadership, we are more loyal than that_!

 _What? That cannot be_!

 _Oh ho ho ho, but it is, child! Nabooru has sought your throne for a long time, and now she has taken it in your absence! Did we not warn you this would come to pass as long as she was permitted to live_?

 _That…that traitor_ …

 _And the worst part? She's even begun cozying it up with those treacherous Hylians! Pledging an oath of fealty to the very king who led such a brutal campaign against us_!

Ganondorf said nothing as the feelings of betrayal burned in his chest, seeping deep into his heart, where a hidden darkness began to feed and draw strength from it, ever expanding outward in its inexorable mission to consume his very soul.

 _Hee hee hee hee! We warned you! We warned you! And the rest of them accepted the change without question or hesitation_!

 _No…you lie_ …

 _When have we ever lied to you, my child_?

 _Ho ho ho ho…have a little more faith in us, dear. After all, you are our son, and it is_ _ **your**_ _destiny that matters, not theirs_!

 _Unfortunately, we cannot free you yet. We must wait for the right time, when they're distracted and vulnerable_ …

… _and when will that be_?

 _Hee hee hee hee…not long, our son. Not long_ …

 _Ho ho ho…you see, our dear child, a new opportunity has arisen. One that we intend to work to our advantage_ …

 _Hyrule has a new enemy in its midst…one who would dare claim your rightful place as ruler of all Hyrule_!

Ganondorf gritted his teeth. _Unacceptable…I…_ _ **we**_ _need the Triforce for ourselves. It is the only way we can bring our people out of the dark ages and back into prosperity_.

At this, both the elderly sisters cackled madly. _"We"? There is no we! The Gerudo are a lost cause! They're unimportant! What_ _ **is**_ _important is that_ _ **you**_ _rise from their ashes and reign as king over all the known world, as master of the Triforce_!

 _I am doing this for our people_!

 _Don't lie to us, boy, or to yourself! Deep down, you know you want that Golden Power all for yourself! You lust for it, thirst for it…Omnipotent power…that is what you desire. That is the destiny we have been grooming you to pursue. Not salvation, DOMINATION! Ho ho ho ho ho_!

Ganondorf bit his tongue, knowing they were right and hating them for it. Though he truly wanted to see his people prosper, somehow, he knew deep within the core of his being that he could not possibly contain himself should such power fall into his hands. Why then, was he pursuing it so adamantly?

 _Because it is your destiny, Ganondorf…_

 _Hee hee hee…yes, it is your destiny to seize the Triforce and become the absolute ruler of the world! The King of Darkness_!

 _I did not ask for this destiny_ …

 _ **DO NOT QUESTION WHAT YOU ARE DESTINED TO BE**_!

At this, Ganondorf unconsciously flinched, as anyone being so harshly reprimanded by their parental figures would.

 _We raised you better than that, our child_ …

Ganondorf did not respond, glowering bitterly at thin air.

 _All in good time, though, child, you will rise and become who you were born to be_ …

 _And resurrect the glory of Demise's ancient conquest_!

Ganondorf could feel the witches fading from his mind, but they had one last thing to say before they receded completely.

 _When our new enemy strikes at Hyrule Castle, we will free you and bear you to safety where you can gather the strength you need to conquer all who would dare stand against you…_

XXXXXX

 _Princess Zelda's chambers_ …

The Hero and the four Sages-to-be entered the room, which was illuminated by the soft light of the early morning, as well as a fire crackling merrily in the nearby fireplace to ward off the morning chill. Seated in the middle of the room at a round table with five chairs around it was the Princess of Hyrule herself, Zelda.

She looked almost exactly as Link remembered her, but it seemed she had forgone her royal headdress, allowing her lustrous, golden hair to fall down her young shoulders with slight curls. She smiled slightly at their entrance.

"It's good to see you again, Link," Zelda greeted. "I trust you have kept _it_ safe since last we met?"

Link nodded eagerly, knowing what she was referring to. "It helped me a lot in the last adventure I was on."

"Good," Zelda answered before turning her attention towards her other guests. "Greetings, Saria of the Lost Woods, and Nabooru of the Gerudo Desert. It's an honor to meet you both in person."

The Kokiri and Gerudo nodded their heads in thanks before Zelda indicated the empty seats around her. "Please, have a seat. There is much we all must discuss."

All of them, including Impa, did so. Once they were all seated, Zelda leaned forwards and steepled her fingers together. "Now, I'm certain Impa has already spoken to you of my dream."

"Yeah," Link replied. "But that's not all. The Deku Tree sent us here because the new enemy that you had a prophetic dream about has already landed troops in Hyrule."

After a long moment of silence, Zelda finally croaked, "W-where?"

"The Gerudo Desert," Nabooru spoke up. "We were driven from our own fortress by their vastly superior numbers. Some scouts pursued us all the way to the boundaries of the Lost Woods, but the Deku Tree drove them off. In doing so, he also said that he had been able to see into their minds and was able to gain some valuable information about what we're all up against."

Zelda sighed, bracing herself for the worst. "Alright, let's hear it."

"This enemy," Nabooru began, "is not of our world. They came from another realm, where the forces of evil conquered the defenders of good. They serve an individual who calls himself the Dark Lord Sauron."

"Sauron," Zelda murmured beneath her breath, the act causing her to involuntarily shudder.

"Indeed," Nabooru continued. "We were told that this 'Sauron' individual's legions are vast, and that he has already invaded our world through a portal somewhere in the Gerudo Desert with an army hundreds of thousands strong, of which this is but one of several such armies at his disposal. All manner of beasts and black-hearted men make up these foul legions, along with creatures and demons of fearsome might and dreadful presence. It is an army the likes of which has never before been seen in Hyrule since the Demon Wars of ages past."

Zelda released a shuddering breath at these evil tidings. "Even with all the peoples of Hyrule working together, this is a battle we would be hard-pressed to win. There is no doubt in my mind; they are here to seize the Triforce in Sauron's name. We need to reawaken the power of the ancient Sages." At this, her eyes darted over each of the Sages-to-be. "Three of you possess the qualities necessary to inherit this great power. But in order to gain it, each of you must travel to one of the ancient Temples of the Sages and pray at their respective altars. Saria, you know the location of the Forest Temple, do you not?"

Saria nodded. "I go there a lot to play my ocarina or just to think. But the way in long ago broke apart. I don't know how I would be able to get in."

Link smiled. "I can help with that. I have something that can get you in there."

"What's that?" Saria curiously inquired.

"Hookshot," he replied, showing it to her. "There's an old, gnarled tree growing over the entryway. Shoot this into the wood directly over the door and it should pull you up to it."

Saria took Link's Hookshot and began inspecting it in wonder.

"Impa, I must ask you to leave my side for a time in order to accomplish your task," Zelda continued. "You must go to the Shadow Temple in Kakariko Village and pray at the altar."

Impa merely nodded solemnly at this.

"And Nabooru, you must go to the Spirit Temple and do the same there." Then Zelda leaned back in her seat and sighed. "There is a problem, however. After countless centuries of disuse, all the old temples have been infested with all manner of creatures. The Spirit Temple in particular, I fear, is the base of operations for a known enemy of the kingdom, one you and your people know very well…the Gerudo witches known as the Twinrova Sisters."

Nabooru's eyes widened. "We banished those old hags from our lands before Lord Ganondorf was even born! They were practicing evil magic and kept talking about resurrecting the 'glory of Demise's conquest'. We knew no good could come of that, so we banished them. To think they now lurk in our most revered temple…" Suddenly Nabooru realized something. "That…that's why Lord Ganondorf would disappear for days on end when he went to the Spirit Temple! He must have encountered them there, and they started sinking their shriveled claws into his mind! I always wondered why he seemed to change more and more each time he returned…"

"Yes," Zelda spoke up. "The Twinrova were awaiting the time in which the legacy of Demise would manifest in our world. When Ganondorf went to the Spirit Temple the first time, they knew him to be that legacy, and immediately began nurturing the evil power lurking in his soul in order for him to realize their dream; to bring a new Demon King into the world. And for a time, they succeeded, until Link here defeated Ganondorf in the future and returned the past back to the way it was before he began his terrible conquest. Link and I both knew that, if we left Ganondorf to his own devices, that all those horrible events would play out again, so we had him imprisoned in the name of the Kingdom. Even though, in doing so, he never managed to lay his hands on the Triforce, Demise's hatred continues to slowly erode whatever soul that man has left in him. It's only a matter of time before Ganondorf is nothing more than a shadow of Demise, mindlessly pursuing the Triforce as the Demon King did so long ago."

Nabooru laid her hands on the table as she silently took this information in.

"Now," Zelda said, returning to the matter at hand, "while there are three Sages here, two more still need to be brought together; Princess Ruto of the Zoras, and Darunia of the Gorons. Once all five of you have prayed at your respective temples, you must go to the Temple of Time here in Castle Town and enter the Chamber of the Sages to speak with the Sage of Light, Rauru, who will instruct each of you in how to use your newfound powers."

"What then?" Nabooru asked.

"Then all of us must lead our people into battle against Sauron's forces," Zelda responded. "With your Sage powers, we might stand more of a chance against Sauron's more powerful servants."

"I-i-into _battle_?" Saria whimpered. "I-I'm no leader, and I c-couldn't possibly ask all my friends to leave the safety of the forest and march right into that kind of danger!"

Zelda's expression became sad. "I do not desire it any more than you, but we must all be in this together if we are to repel this swarm of evil. Even with all our peoples together, we are outnumbered several times over. We need all the help we can get, no matter where it comes from."

"Princess, I must ask you," Impa interrupted. "If, while we are gone, Sauron chooses to attack, what will you do? The years of peace have made our soldiers complacent, and their gumption is not as it once was. We have at most ten thousand soldiers in our city, most of whom haven't even seen any sort of action and think of the military as easy pay rather than performing their duty to the kingdom. Hyrule Castle could not hope to repel such an assault if it comes to pass."

"I remember where the entrance to the catacombs lies," Zelda replied. "If the attack comes and we cannot hold the city, we will evacuate through there and flee to Kakariko."

"And leave the Temple of Time unguarded?" Link asked worriedly. "If Sauron does manage to take Castle Town, we won't be able to reach the Temple of Time to confer with Rauru once the Sages' power has been reawakened!"

"I know," Zelda solemnly answered. "But we are very much on the defensive here. We are ill-prepared to face a foe such as this. In fact, the only ones aware of this threat apart from the Kokiri and the Gerudo are right here in this room. I will have to tell my father of this threat, and he may not be inclined at first to believe me. Adults put so little faith in the words of their children…"

Link bowed his head, all too familiar with that sentiment. In the midst of his training, he had ventured around Hyrule, competing in swordfighting tournaments and challenging various knights, and he was never taken seriously unless he showed them the treasure Zelda had entrusted to his safekeeping, the Ocarina of Time. And then, during his adventure in Termina, when the Skull Kid had turned him into a Deku Scrub, no one took him seriously, and the soldiers wouldn't even let him leave the town walls.

"Which is why all of you must make haste, and pray at your temples as soon as possible," Zelda continued grimly. "Nabooru, your journey will be fraught with the most peril, not only due to Twinrova's occupation of the Spirit Temple, but because of the desert being where Sauron's hordes are crossing over into Hyrule. Do you think you can embark on such a dangerous mission?"

The Gerudo leader took a deep breath. "I will do what I must, but…I admit, I've never had the odds stacked this much against me. It will take all of my skills to elude the servants of Sauron, not to mention how I will deal with those cursed witches…"

"She can't go alone," Link abruptly spoke up.

All of them turned towards Link with varying degrees of surprise on their faces.

"The first time I met you, Nabooru, in the timeline I prevented, I found you in the Spirit Temple, trying to find a hidden treasure that would help you in your planned rebellion against Ganondorf. But the only way in was through a hole you couldn't fit through, so you had me go through for you to retrieve it."

"The Silver Gauntlets…" Nabooru realized.

Link nodded. "When I finally got up to where the treasure was, I reached it just in time to see you being sucked beneath the sand by Twinrova down below. The next time I saw you, seven years later, you were clad in the armor of an Iron Knuckle and I had to fight you off in order to free you from their possession. If you go there alone, Twinrova will do it all again, I know it."

Nabooru couldn't help but shiver a bit at the thought of being possessed against her will by those evil hags. "What do you suggest then, Link?" Zelda asked.

"I'll go with her," Link answered without hesitation. "I have something I know will defend us from Twinrova's attacks. There's another one in the Spirit Temple, though; if we find it, both of us will be able to hold our own against Twinrova."

"Are…are you talking about the Mirror Shield?" Nabooru incredulously asked. "You have a _second_ Mirror Shield?!"

Link unslung his shield from his back and held it up for them to see. Disturbingly enough, it had the effigy of a face screaming in agony, but other than that, its surface was pristine like a mirror, but definitely of metal make.

"I found this in Ikana Canyon in the land of Termina," Link explained. "It helped me get through the Stone Tower Temple and Ikana Castle, and I've kept it ever since. A Mirror Shield suited to my size, unlike the one in the Spirit Temple, which is for an adult."

"But then who will bring word to the Gorons and Zoras of what must be done?" Zelda pointed out. "I cannot go, and there is no one I can spare for the task. I need you for this, Link."

Link thought about this for a moment before he finally answered, "You're right. In that case, you can borrow this for the time being."

He then handed his shield over to Nabooru. Blinking in shock, Nabooru stammered, "Y-you're just _giving_ this to me? Do you even know how much something like this could be worth?!"

Link just smiled good-naturedly. "You need it more than I do at this point."

Nabooru managed a breathless laugh. "Kid, you are either the most naïve, or the most selfless person I have ever met. Giving something like this to a thief totally willingly, without hesitation…"

Link's smile never faltered. "I know you'll take good care of it for me. Also, I have something that should be able to get you past Sauron's minions."

As he said this, he reached into his pack and pulled out what looked like a mask painted to look like a crude carving of a face on a block of stone. "I also got this in Termina. This is the Stone Mask. Wearing it will enable you to move virtually unseen. You literally become plain as stone so you can blend into your surroundings, and hide in plain sight."

Nabooru took the offered mask and inspected this. "A thief would kill for something like this. You could walk right into a guy's house while he's right there and steal all his valuables without him ever noticing!"

Link paled a bit at the implications, but Nabooru only laughed. "I'm kidding, Link! We Gerudo may be thieves, but we don't steal from those who can barely provide for themselves! I'm not a pure villain like that old shapeshifter Blind!"

Link sighed with relief. "Seriously, thank you for these, Link," Nabooru said sincerely. "Your honesty, generosity, and kindness are refreshing after the many years of jeers and unwelcome attitudes I've faced by other Hylians. Never lose that."

Link blushed a little at the compliment. "A-are you sure you're okay with us taking these, Link?" Saria asked, holding up the Hookshot. "What if you end up needing them?"

"I'll manage," Link answered with a shrug. "Besides, I don't need them in order to get to Goron City or Zora's Domain. I'll be fine."

Saria looked down at the Hookshot uncertainly. "I-if you say so, Link."

Link smiled at her, glad that she understood the situation.

"Now that we know what course of action we must all take," Zelda spoke up, interrupting their thoughts, "it's time we set to work. Time is of the essence, and I suspect Sauron will strike us sooner rather than later."

Zelda stood from her seat, prompting the others to do the same. "Good luck out there, all of you," she declared. "May the way of the Triforce light your path."

XXXXXX

 _Gerudo Fortress_ …

Standing tall in a balcony overlooking the whole Gerudo Valley, the Witch-king of Angmâr observed the roiling masses seething below. Orcs, Men, and other beasts were all awaiting his command, while those who had not been chosen to partake in the initial assault were tending to their own affairs in their own crude, sometimes violent ways.

"Servants of darkness," the Witch-king cried out in his high, cold voice, "we stand upon the cusp of victory! Our enemies are few in number, and they are ill-prepared for our incalculable might! Tomorrow we march! We march on Hyrule Castle, and when it falls, we will seize the Golden Power of the Triforce, and our lord Sauron shall reign supreme over this new world! He has promised you the future, my servants! New lands, new spoils, new victims! We will have it all when the sun rises next! Now prepare yourselves, for tomorrow, we march to war!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: It's A Dangerous Business, Going Out Your Door**

Darkness was all Ganondorf could see. Oppressive, silent, dominating blackness that pushed against his eyelids, threatening to swallow him whole. He blinked, though his eyes could not see the action, as if he had been struck blind.

 _ **You are mine**_.

The voice was his, and yet it wasn't.

"Who…?" Ganondorf spoke out loud in confusion.

 _ **I am you. I am your destiny**_.

"This is foolishness," Ganondorf growled.

 _ **Obey me. Obey your destiny. Crush. Kill. Destroy. Claim dominion over all**_.

A brief vision swept past Ganondorf's line of sight, that of a dark head with burning eyes and hair like flames, but it was gone before he could fully register it. Then the darkness faded, replaced with a muted white light. He could see himself, standing before the legendary Power of Gold, laying his hand on the sacred relic. He could see himself clad in royal armor, leading wave after wave of monsters against the people of Hyrule. Burning, pillaging, and enslaving all who crossed their path. All of it in his name. _His_.

The thought of that awoke a deep lust within him, and he could not suppress the wicked grin that creased his face.

But then…the vision changed. The change was subtle, but its effect was anything but. He touched the Triforce, only for it to split apart, two parts flying off to find appropriate bearers in an effort to protect itself from his misuse, leaving him to call only the Mark of Power his own. His monsters were cut down in droves by a boy in green wielding a blade of holy power. He saw himself fighting this boy, only to lose. He was sealed in darkness…

And yet he escaped.

He saw himself making deals with and pressganging other beings into his service, rising to power again and again and again.

He saw a shroud of Twilight envelop Hyrule.

He saw Hyrule drowned beneath the waves of the oceans by a mad king in hopes of drowning Ganondorf with it.

He saw himself as a slavering, demonic boar of immense size, bellowing fiercely in the throes of its madness.

Each time, that same boy came. The one in green. And yet it wasn't the same boy. They were different ages. Some were taller, some were shorter. Some with blond hair, some with brown. But they all wore that forest green. Always those piercing blue eyes bore into him with a fiery determination. And they all bore that same sword.

It cut into him again and again, age after age, taking a little more of his essence with it each time until he was little more than a raging, mindless beast bereft of intelligence, consumed by a goal it no longer had the capacity to understand.

"W-what is this?" Ganondorf uttered at the sight, for it evoked a sense of fear and wonder within him, and for a brief moment, a piercing clarity shook him, and he realized just what was wrong with him.

"What…am I?" he murmured. "Am I…merely a puppet? A shadow of Demise's former glory? Is it _his_ will that drives me, not my own? Is _**this**_ my destiny? To be smote again and again by this boy? To be cast down in ruin at the height of my power in an endless cycle for eternity, until I am a mindless animal that no longer even knows why it desires the Triforce?!"

 _Only if you let it be_.

Ganondorf felt himself go still as a new voice made itself known, the voice of a female. Something about her was…familiar. But he was certain he'd never heard such a voice before.

"What is this?" he demanded once more. "Is my mind the plaything of more than one puppeteer?! Show yourself!"

 _What you have seen is the future that awaits you if you allow Demise's hatred to consume you, and become the villain he wants you to be. His evil rests deep in your soul, and your anger only feeds it. With each passing moment, he comes closer to molding you into his ultimate successor, a new Demon King. His very essence is a part of you_.

Ganondorf balled his fists. "How…? If this is the case, how then could I change it? Can this destiny truly not be averted?"

 _There is still time. Though it grows stronger with each passing day, his dominion over you is still weak. You still yet have the potential to wrest control of your fate from him, to decide your own path_.

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed. "How do you know so much about this? About _me_? Why even seek to help me?"

 _You could say I have a vested interest in your future. You are destined for greatness, there is no doubt of that, but the magnitude of that greatness hangs upon the decision you must make when the time is right. Will you achieve greatness as Demise's puppet…or my champion_?

"Your…champion?" Ganondorf repeated. "Who _are_ you?"

 _In time, you shall come to know me better. But know this, my son. Beware the poisoned words of those you have long called mothers. They will tirelessly work to see that Demise prevails over you. Despite what you may think, they are, in the end, not your allies_.

"…What, then, must I do to conquer this dark half of my being?" Ganondorf slowly asked, suspicion heavy in his tone.

 _You will know, my child, when the time comes. Fear not, Ganondorf, son of Din, for I shall be watching you carefully during these trying times_ …

"Child of…?" Ganondorf muttered, his eyes widening. "Are you…?"

But the voice of the lady had already gone, and his world went dark once more, surrounding him in its cold, unfeeling atmosphere. But as Ganondorf slept, the words of his visitor stayed with him, and he brooded on them throughout the remainder of his time within dreams.

XXXXXX

Nabooru rode hard for the deserts of her homeland, her Mirror Shield slung across her back and the Stone Mask firmly on her face. As she neared the boundaries of the desert, she dismounted her horse and spanked its rear, bidding it off to join its brethren in the Lost Woods. Thus she continued her journey on foot. Even though she was wearing the Stone Mask, she took care to remain quiet and out of sight as she neared the desert.

Soon she stilled as she heard the unmistakable tromping of thousands of marching soldiers approaching, and she quickly hid behind a boulder before peeking over it to observe the scene.

The first to come was a single horseman, clad in tattered black robes and tarnished silver armor. Over his head was an open-mouthed helmet made to look like a screaming face, and beneath that, a hood that hid the horseman's face…or perhaps he had no face at all, for looking into it was like looking into the Void itself. The horse he rode was as black as his robes. Its eyes burned with a fell glow, and bloody nails had been driven into its hooves for some unknown, sickening purpose. Yet despite the horror of its injuries, the infernal beast carried its owner with little trouble, snorting as the Witch-king spurred it on.

Behind him came marching a vast host of men and beasts, tossing up clouds of dust all around them. Orcs, Uruks, Goblins, Easterlings, Corsairs, Wargs, and numerous Trolls, some armored and carrying great hammers while others carried small trebuchets teeming with Goblin sappers on their backs or pushed along various siege engines and war machines, and even some pounding on large kettle drums in time with the marching beat, marched obliviously past the single hidden Gerudo, who watched them all with a look of horror.

 _Never have I seen such an army_ , Nabooru thought to herself in dread. _There's no way Hyrule Castle can repel them_!

She found herself whispering a silent prayer to Din that Zelda would make it out of it in one piece. Hylian though she was, Nabooru could see that the Princess was not like her father or many other Hylians, and could be a friend to the Gerudo if the situation played out in their favor.

She shook her mind of such thoughts as she continued to watch Sauron's army advance past her. Numerous flagbearers proudly held aloft great battle standards, many depicting a red eye, while others had white stylized markings depicting a horned skull of some kind. There were some depictions of snakes as well, and spiders, and a great white hand, along with numerous others whose meaning was totally lost on Nabooru. It was well over an hour before the immense host finally reached its end, and Nabooru silently watched as they all marched away in the direction of Hyrule Castle.

It wasn't until long after they were out of sight that she finally left her hiding place and stealthily made her way into the Gerudo Valley. And there she paused, for there were more in the valley and the desert beyond. _Much_ more. Twice the number she had seen march away lay encamped within the valley all around the old fortress, from which now hung huge banners depicting the Eye of Sauron. Nabooru's hackles rose at the sight of this, and she silently vowed, _Before this year is out, even if it comes at my final breath, we will retake our homes, and I'll cut down those damned banners myself_!

Taking a deep breath and deciding to trust in the Stone Mask's power, Nabooru strode into the sea of tents belonging to Sauron's fell legions. She darted her way around the crude Orc-tents and the opulent Haradrim Palaces, past the pair of resting Mûmakil, and the Isengard Warg-pens, where the vicious hounds paced anxiously around the enclosures, panting from the desert heat.

Raucous cheers and jeers drew her attention to her left, where she saw a large number of men and Orcs gathered around a crude and hastily-constructed coliseum, shouting and cackling as they watched one of the giant wolves viciously fighting a man-sized spider, while a pair of Goblins weaved their way through the crowds, holding out boxes that several individuals dropped various coins into, placing bets.

Nabooru curled her lip in disgust. _How barbaric_.

Off to her right, she saw two Goblins vigorously engaged in a gruesome game of what they called knucklecrush, known also in some circles as "Bloody Knuckles", while all around them, hordes of Goblins, some sickly green with stringy black hair, others tan-skinned and bald, cheered them on.

"Gahaha! Show 'im who's the _real_ Goblin King, Gorkil!" one of the white Goblins cried.

"Pah! You Ettenmoor Goblins 're pansies! King Durbûrz is gonna win!" cackled a green Goblin.

"You'll see, you sniveling Moria rats!" sneered another white Goblin. "Kaha, you'll see!"

And thus the two Goblin factions continued to cheer on their respective kings, who were eagerly smashing their fists against each other's, concentrating only on each other, heedless of the camouflaged Gerudo observing them with utter distaste. _I should have guessed_ , she thought bitterly. _Even their degenerate kings are nothing more than simple thugs_.

She passed by a pair of Mountain Trolls in time to see one punch the other for the sheer hell of it, the second one reacting with a blow of its own before the two creatures stupidly returned to whatever idle thing they were doing. Nearby, some men in garb reminiscent of pirates were hauling boxes of what looked to be various liquors into the fortress, and it appeared several of the swarthy Corsairs had already dipped into their brandies as they laughed drunkenly.

Haradrim archers were tirelessly practicing their archery, while some others, instead of practicing with bows, were throwing bamboo javelins at their targets. Nearby, watching them, sat a grizzled old Orc with long, ugly scars trailing down half his face, as though something had raked its claws across his head. He used the body of his resting Warg as a backrest as he idly chewed a strip of jerky. "Y'know, boy," Sharkû chuckled grimly as he scratched his Warg behind the ears, "it's funny, workin' with Men. Far as I'm concerned, they only look good roastin' on a spit, and yet the Dark Lord holds 'em in such _high_ regard. Things were so much easier back when we were just raidin' outlying Rohan settlements, eh boy?"

His Warg let out a low growl in response, more interested in the scratches and sleeping than actually paying attention to its partner's ranting.

All in all, it was a fairly-revealing look into the many cultures that mingled together in the name of Sauron, but Nabooru had little interest in it as she spent the better part of two hours trying to navigate through the enemy encampment, taking care to avoid bumping into any Orcs or Men that passed by. Eventually she slipped past the fringes of the enemy's camp and breathed a sigh of relief. The Stone Mask had come through for her.

Without further ado, she headed for the Spirit Temple to complete her mission.

XXXXXX

As Link ushered Epona across the vast fields of Hyrule, a sudden noise made him stop. Looking out over a hill towards the desert, he noticed a huge cloud of dust coming from that direction, and his heart sank all the way down his gut to settle behind his navel.

 _It's Sauron's army_ , he realized in dread as he saw the huge mass of troops emerge from the valley. _Goddesses above…there's no way Hyrule Castle can stand up to an army like that! What should I do_?

He wanted to turn back, to warn Zelda of the severity of their situation, but then he remembered something. Zelda had known that Sauron was going to attack very soon, and that she would evacuate through the catacombs if it appeared the city was lost.

He hated it, but Zelda was clear in that she had a contingency plan ready to put into effect should Hyrule Castle fall. With this in mind, he wheeled Epona around and continued his journey towards Death Mountain. Maybe if things worked out quickly enough, and if Hyrule Castle held out long enough, he could return with a Goron army at his back.

As he came closer to the looming volcano, the sound of marching soldiers gradually faded until it was gone. Eventually he reached the stairway that led into the village of Kakariko, where he left Epona to be taken care of by the stableman until he returned, and made the journey up the mountain by foot. A few red Tektites were present, foraging for food. Any that dared to approach him were swiftly dispatched with his sword, and his trek up the slopes of Death Mountain went relatively unimpeded.

Soon enough he reached the mouth of the large cave that led into the Goron City, where a single Goron sentry was curled up. His time among Gorons had allowed Link to be able to tell a rock apart from a resting Goron, and so he marched up to the sentry and rapped his knuckles smartly on his rocky back. The sentry immediately jolted awake with a startled "oh!"

Link stepped back as the Goron wordlessly got to his feet. "Uh, who goes there?" the sentry asked, scratching his head as though remembering why he was even there in the first place.

"My name is Link," the young hero introduced himself. "I'm here on behalf of the Royal Family. I need to speak with your leader, Darunia. Is he available?"

"Uh…yeah," the sentry answered slowly. "He's in the bottom-most chamber behind the stone door."

"I know, thanks!" Link cried as he rushed past the sentry.

Goron City was just the way he remembered it, only there was no sense of despair or hunger permeating the atmosphere, as Ganondorf had never gotten the chance to turn the Dodongo King that lived in the cavern that provided their food violent. The Spiritual Stone of Fire was sitting proudly in its display that hung over the huge chasm that the Goron City was built around.

And I hope it stays there, Link thought to himself as he began the long descent into where he knew Darunia's chamber to be, passing by numerous Gorons who spared him curious glances before returning to their own activities. After a while, Link reached the door to his destination, which slowly opened at his presence. He walked inside, and there stood the Goron leader, as towering and powerfully-muscled as ever.

Darunia flashed an inviting smile. "What can I do for you, kid? Does the Royal Family need our help with something?"

Link took a deep breath and began. "Brother Darunia, the land of Hyrule is in grave danger. A new enemy has entered our realm in pursuit of the Triforce. Even now their armies march on Hyrule Castle. I've seen them myself as I journeyed here. The only way we may have a chance at stopping them is if we reawaken the power of the ancient Sages. Princess Zelda has determined that you have the qualities necessary to become the new Sage of Fire. To gain your Sagehood, you must go to the Fire Temple and pray at the altar, and when you return, I implore you to send a Goron army to relieve the siege on Hyrule Castle."

Darunia's eyes narrowed at this. "This some kind of joke?"

Link's expression was stern and serious. "No, sir."

Darunia searched the young boy's face seriously, but Link's expression did not waver, nor did he break eye contact with the Goron leader.

"There's something about you…" Darunia finally said. "I don't know why, but…there's something about you that makes me know I can trust you. You're really saying _I'm_ a Sage-to-be? I, the wild Darunia?"

Link nodded gravely.

Darunia scratched his chin in thought. "If what you're saying is true, kid, I'll spread the word to mobilize our forces while I go to the old temple and do what you said."

Link sighed with relief. "Thank you, sir."

"Just call me Darunia, kid," the Goron replied with a wink. "I'll be back soon. You just wait here, and we'll get this whole thing sorted out in no time!"

XXXXXX

 _Hyrule Castle, Throne Room_ …

"Please, father, you must listen to me!" Zelda begged.

Harkinian the First, King of Hyrule, huffed in tired annoyance. "Zelda, we have been at peace for years now! This tale about an army from another world coming for the Triforce is simply ludicrous! I heeded your advice to imprison the king of those desert rats, but there's only so much of your tall tales I can stand!"

"Indeed you did," Zelda angrily retorted. "So why aren't you listening to me now? This is just as much a challenge to the safety of our kingdom as Ganondorf would have been!"

Harkinian clicked his tongue off-handedly, rolling his eyes. "Zelda, my dear, the reason I did what you said then was because I realized that a thief, even a king of thieves, is only good for stealing. To keep him under lock and key will keep the rest of his filthy mongrels subdued."

Zelda paled as she slowly took a step back from her father.

"You…you weren't listening to me for the sake of our kingdom…it was for the sake of your own personal vendetta against them." She shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. "I no longer know you, father. I thought perhaps you had changed when you put your arrogance aside to imprison Ganondorf, but now I see that you were motivated by your racism, not your duty to our people."

Harkinian's eyes narrowed. "Mind your tongue, Zelda."

Zelda affixed him with a steely glare. "I will not, _Father_. I won't let your arrogance be the downfall of our kingdom a second time. Our enemy is coming. Send out riders towards the desert, Father. They will confirm it to you!"

Harkinian opened his mouth to shut her down, only to be interrupted as the throne room door burst open, a guard rushing in, panting heavily as though he had run the whole way there.

"Y-Your Majesty!" the man breathed. "The city…"

Harkinian stood from his throne. "What is going on here? Speak up, man!"

After he had taken a brief moment to catch his breath, the frightened soldier cried, "My King, Hyrule Castle is under attack!"

Harkinian's eyes widened, while Zelda felt her heart stop. "No," she uttered, shell-shocked. "T-they're here even sooner than I expected!"

Sparing his daughter a look, he strode purposefully towards the balcony that overlooked the city and observed the scene. Zelda followed him there, and together they watched the cloud of dust that partially concealed an immense army closing in on Castle Town from the south.

"We're too late, Father," Zelda spoke gravely. "The armies of Sauron the Dark Lord are already upon us."

Harkinian shuddered as his head whirled with thoughts. _Din's Fire…she was right. The whole time, my daughter was_ _ **right**_ _. What have I done_?

Quickly putting his realization aside, he turned towards the soldier that had delivered the news. "Ready our defenses, and evacuate our civilians to the catacombs! Zelda, you will evacuate along with them."

Zelda started. "But father…!"

The King put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "My daughter, I was remiss not to trust in your words. I have been a foolish king, allowing myself to grow complacent. I must stay. The people of Hyrule must know that they have their king."

"But what if something happens to you?!" Zelda cried.

"That is why you are going into the catacombs with the rest of the civilians, my child. So long as you live, the Kingdom of Hyrule has a future. Now go, Zelda! Time grows short!"

"Come, Princess," the soldier bade her.

As Zelda reluctantly turned to leave, she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Father…despite what has come between us, and my words…I still love you."

Father and daughter tearfully embraced, as Harkinian whispered, "I love you too, sweetheart."

After a full minute, they finally broke apart, and Harkinian sternly commanded, "Now go. Go!"

Zelda finally followed the soldier out, looking over her shoulder at her father until she finally disappeared into the main part of the castle.

"May the Goddesses watch over you, my darling princess," Harkinian prayed to himself before heading off to prepare for what would be his finest hour…and his final stand.

 **XXXXXX000XXXXXX**

 **I know, it's a little shorter than the first two chapters, but worry not; next time, the battle for Hyrule Castle begins! Will Link and the Gorons make it in time to break the siege? Can Zelda escape before the hosts of Mordor penetrate the city? Will I stop asking such obvious and dumb questions? Find out next time in…War of the Golden Powers**!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: The Battle of Hyrule Castle**

Fifty thousand of the Dark Lord's finest troops closed in on the crown jewel of Hyrule Kingdom, eager to infect its light with their filth and darkness. A great panic had swept through the city at the appearance of this vast army of terrible monsters, and civilians were screaming and clamoring their way towards the secret entrances to the vast catacombs that ran beneath the city. Even a large number of soldiers looked to be mere moments away from panic themselves. For years they had led rather boring but well-paid lives guarding their posts, and now, without warning, the threat of war loomed over them like a shroud of evil.

Even so, ten thousand soldiers of the Hylian crown manned the walls, standing in tightly packed ranks with crossbowmen in front and swordsmen behind them. In the marketplace, spearmen and archers clustered together, readying themselves for the likely possibility of the enemy breaking into the city. As the confused people of Hyrule readied themselves for a battle none of them had been expecting, the clopping of many hooves against stone heralded the arrival of a contingent of royal knights, led by King Harkinian himself, who was clad in gold-plated armor that dazzled all who beheld him.

Thousands of soldiers and civilians stopped and turned towards him, waiting with bated breath for anything he had to say that could offer them courage.

"My loyal subjects," the King intoned, his eyes sweeping over the crowded marketplace. "I have failed you as a king. I was warned of this threat, but I, in my arrogance born of complacency, failed to heed it in time. Our enemy comes for our sacred Power of Gold. And they will slaughter any man, woman, or child that stands between them and the Temple of Time. We must not let them have the chance. We must make our stand, and sell our lives most dearly, in service of all that is green and good in Hyrule! And know that, till my final breath, your King is with you!"

Emboldened by Harkinian's speech, soldiers cheered as they manned their battlestations with renewed determination, staring down their numerically-superior foe. Legions of Orcs and other beasts stared right back, glaring with yellow eyes like poison and sneering with jagged, broken teeth. At the head of this immense host was a horseman in black, who fearlessly ushered his horse right up to the edge of the moment, his dread visage making all who caught his hidden stare cower in fear. Harkinian dismounted and strode up to the wall to see what was going on, and he and the leader of this fell army locked eyes as the huge army came to a halt just out of bowshot.

"Who are you that would declare war upon our glorious kingdom?" Harkinian demanded.

The horseman let out an inhuman hiss that managed to carry further than it should have. "Old fool! I am the Witch-king of Angmâr, Lord of the Nine, and the greatest of all the Dark Lord Sauron's servants! We have come to claim your Golden Power in his name! Give us the relics you call the Triforce, and swear fealty to the Dark Lord, and we will leave your city and people in peace!"

"How could there ever be peace for us should our sacred triangles fall into the greedy hands of such a villain?" Harkinian retorted. "To betray our Golden Goddesses in such a way and allow such darkness to pervade this land…death would be preferable to the fate you and your master would impose on us!"

The Witch-king unleashed a hideous, piercing cry, his horse rearing as he proclaimed, "Then it is death you shall have! Prepare yourselves, for this is my hour! Die now, and curse in vain! The Golden Power will still be ours."

"You will never have it!" Harkinian shouted. "By the blood and pride of our people, your master will never lay his hands on the Triforce!"

In answer, the Witch-king turned his head towards his waiting legions, and gave the order they had been waiting for. " _Begin_!"

Harkinian retreated back into the town square and rejoined his waiting knights as a volley of black arrows rained down upon the defenders, who immediately answered with arrow volleys of their own. Hundreds of enemy soldiers fell beneath the deadly rain, but this did nothing to hinder them. The air became thick with whispering death as countless arrows flew back and forth between the castle walls and the army surging below it.

Observing, the Witch-king considered his options. The moat was too wide for them to get their ladders onto the walls, and too deep for them to fill in without an inevitable and costly loss of troops. And then an idea struck the Nazgûl Lord as he glanced at the drawbridge.

"Ballistae!" the Witch-king cried, pointing at the two Isengard siege ballistae that he had brought with him. "Get a rope on one of your darts and aim for that drawbridge!"

Snarling in response, the Urûk sappers readied a ballista bolt, tying a heavy rope through the ring in its end as the cord was winched back. Such weapons were mainly meant to get siege ladders onto higher walls that normal ladders couldn't reach, and had served them well when they assailed Helm's Deep and eliminated King Théoden. As the sappers painstakingly turned the ballista towards the drawbridge, a Troll approached at the Nazgûl Lord's behest, waiting for the moment to act.

Finally the Witch-king gave the signal with a wave of his gauntleted hand, and the sappers hit the lever. With a resounding twang, the ballista bolt sailed past the front line of Orcs and smashed into the very center of the drawbridge. A ripple of fear and uncertainty rose up in the ranks of the Hylian army at this, for there were still civilians being evacuated. The sight of the ballista bolt penetrating the drawbridge threatened to send the remaining civilians into utter panic.

Realizing this, Harkinian drew his sword. "Spread out, men! Spread out! We must give the women and children time to escape!"

Suddenly the drawbridge began to groan in earnest as the head of the bolt hooked onto the wood as it was pulled back by the Troll, slowly straining the chains to the breaking point. As the drawbridge started to lower from the pull, Harkinian cried, "Do not cower, men! No matter what comes through that gate, you must stand your ground!"

And then, with a sharp snap, the chains broke, and the drawbridge fell down, the Troll stumbling with it as the drawbridge gave way, falling into place over the moat. The soldiers within raised their shining Hylian shields, turning them to meet the inevitable attack. Archers nocked arrows, and spearmen formed a wall of spears that stretched from one end of the town square to the other.

But what led the charge into Hyrule's capital city was not a swarm of Orcs.

It was a group of armored Attack Trolls.

Men quailed and screamed as the armored beasts fell upon them mercilessly, swinging and smashing with their massive hammers. Horses blanched and swerved away, heedless of the commands of their riders. But Harkinian dared not falter.

"Archers!" he commanded. "LOOSE!"

The Trolls stopped in their tracks as they were pelted by a hail of fine arrows, mostly blocked by their armor but turning their arms and legs into pincushions. The leading Trolls stumbled back, while the Trolls behind them, which had not received the brunt of the volley, pushed past them and raised their hammers high. Behind the Attack Trolls came a regiment of bronze-armored Easterlings, their scale-like armor and crested helmets making them look like a swarm of attacking dragons as they charged.

As the Trolls recovered and the Easterlings advanced, the braver soldiers stood their ground and formed a shield wall to receive the charge.

Finally the two sides met to the sounds of ringing steel and sundered flesh as the defenders of Hyrule faced the legions of Mordor in close quarter combat. One Attack Troll headed right for Harkinian, who bravely spurred his horse onwards, rushing past its falling hammer as he slashed his sword against the beast's throat. Gurgling feebly, the Troll fell backward, bumping into another Troll in the process and knocking it over, where it fell on top of several Easterlings, crushing them while at the same time being undone by their halberds. However, the other Trolls were proving to be fearsome opponents. Their sheer size lent them incredible reach with their hammers, and one could only get close enough to wound one through sheer luck or distraction.

With Harkinian having entered the fray, his knights sallied forth, intent on protecting their king. As the knights began carving their way through the Easterling ranks, the main body of the Orc army began to pour in, led by a row of Uruk-hai brandishing their long pikes. Even as the crossbowmen still on the wall continually fired into the massive horde of Orcs, the swordsmen began to abandon the wall to join the fight below in the city streets.

The Witch-king smirked beneath his hood as the sounds of battle reached him. This was the same strategy he had used in the Siege of Gondor, an Attack Troll-Easterling combo meant to break apart enemy formations and allow the superior numbers of orcs to take advantage of the disarray. It had been a swift and killing blow to the defenders of Minas Tirith, and the Witch-king found himself remembering fondly how he had personally ended the life of that meddlesome fool Gandalf the Grey. With the Lord of Minas Morgûl at his full strength, the Wizard was simply no match for him.

Shoving these thoughts aside, the Witch-king continued to observe as the battle within the city slowly began to turn in Mordor's favor.

Inside, the vastly superior numbers of the Orcs and Easterlings was beginning to pay dividends, and in several places they succeeded in breaking through the tightly packed Hylian ranks, scattering the surviving soldiers and drawing more and more into the confusing melee that raged in every street. Some archers had barricaded themselves in houses and were now firing from the windows and roofs into the streets, where Orcs were swarming about trying to break in. To their great surprise and mounting fear, several Goblins began scuttling up the walls of the houses like a horde of cockroaches. Many were shot down point-blank, but others reached the windows and either dove inside to dispatch their prey or pulled them over their shoulders and cast them into the waiting arms of the Orcs below with surprising strength.

And then the Witch-king made another play to serve as a reminder of their enemy's folly. Catapults were drawn back as worker Trolls lifted spiked, boulder-sized canisters into the baskets. Right before firing, Orcs bearing torches lit fuses on the devices and scuttled back as the catapults fired, their cargo sailing over the castle walls. Some landed in the streets, while others smashed into houses. In all cases the effect was immediate; the capital of Hyrule was rocked by a half-dozen blasts that sent rubble flying in every direction or reduced any Hylian, Orc or Easterling caught in the blast to a gruesome paste.

"Bombs!" a soldier cried somewhere. "They have bombs!"

After this first salvo, the catapults began sending boulders set alight with pitch over the wall, setting the city ablaze. Harkinian looked up from the battle all around at his golden city burning to ashes before his very eyes. It was something right out of his very worst nightmares.

It awoke a burning rage within him, and the King gave a great shout as he charged his horse into the thick of the fray, his surviving knights dutifully following behind as he brought his broadsword down upon the head of an Orc that was just about to gut a young soldier lying wounded at its feet. With another swing, an Easterling's head went flying, the owner's body collapsing like a sack of grain.

So great was the ferocity of Harkinian the First that the Orcs began to regard him with terror, and the sight of this inspired new courage within the Hylian soldiers. "The King! The King! Rally to the King!"

The fierce fighting had ultimately done its part. Soon the last of the women and children had made it into the catacombs, and the Hylians began to push back against the unending tide of Orcs and Easterlings. Crossbowmen fired at the surviving Attack Trolls, their bolts easily penetrating the monsters' armor and finally slaying the last of them. But Orcs innumerable remained yet, and their onslaught was without respite. They hacked and slashed at the Hylian soldiers with their crude scimitars, and ripped at them with their sharp claws and broken teeth.

But the Hylians did not waver, for their king was among them, and his wrath was too great for any minion of Mordor to withstand. With each stroke of his great broadsword, an enemy fell. His knights scattered any groups that tried to form defensive knots, and the lines between defender and attacker continued to blur until the entire city was engulfed in a furious, confusing melee. It wasn't much longer, however, before the crossbowmen were all spent, drawing their own swords to join the fight down below. Though the fighting was brutal and vicious, the Hylians were holding firm due to the enemy being forced into a bottleneck, with only one way into the city, and thus unable to take full advantage of their superior numbers.

The Witch-king regarded this with growing annoyance. The enemy was fighting harder than he had initially expected. Perhaps he should have brought more of his troops. However, it mattered little. None but the Dark Lord himself could boast of greater power than the Witch-king of Angmâr, and it was time he proved that to these fools. Drawing his longsword, the Witch-king let loose a piercing cry before he and a guard detail of Warg-riders rode past the legions of Orcs and other minions still pouring into the city, and the terror that went before the Nazgûl Lord was great indeed. In he rode, his dread visage sapping the fighting spirit and courage of all who looked upon the greatest of Sauron's Ringwraiths.

All but one.

Riding forth to challenge the Lord of the Nazgûl was none other than Harkinian himself, his shining armor of gold contrasting sharply with the obsidian rags and silver armor of the Witch-king. His knights rode forth to challenge the Warg-riders as the two leaders stared each other down.

"You are a fool to challenge me thus, oh great King of Hyrule," the Witch-king hissed in his fell voice. "I have cast down greater beings than thee, and I can be felled by no man."

"We shall see, you foul shade," Harkinian boasted. "For the glory of Hyrule!"

Their blades met in a shower of sparks as the living king and the undead king dueled fiercely. Soldiers on both sides cheered them on even as they continued to battle desperately against one another. Both were highly-skilled, kingly in their might, and for several desperate minutes they were at an impasse, equally matched.

It was at this last that Zelda, accompanied by a pair of Royal Guards, warily made their way into the town square, heading for the catacombs. Zelda looked towards the battle and saw her father in the thick of it, fighting against a black-clad horseman with no face exuding an aura of malice and dread. She longed to call out to him, but she knew she had to leave, or this battle would be all for naught.

And then it happened.

The Witch-king, growing tired of this fight, intentionally dropped his guard. Seeing an opportunity, Harkinian drove his royal blade all the way through where the Black Rider's heart had once beaten. But though he screeched in pain, the Witch-king remained seated on his wicked steed, hissing as Harkinian gripped his sword-arm in pain as his blade disintegrated, the hilt clattering uselessly to the ground. His laugh was high and cold as the Witch-king raised his sword high and brought it down upon the skull of the King of Hyrule. Zelda screamed bloody murder as her father lurched in his saddle, and finally toppled to the ground below.

At Harkinian's fall, a cry of despair rose up in the Hylian ranks. "The King is dead! Oh peril and woe, our King is _dead_!"

"NO! _FATHER_!" Zelda cried, tears flowing down her eyes.

And then that hooded gaze fell upon her, and Zelda found herself rooted in place as she stared into that black pit that served as the Witch-king's face. Pointing at her, the Witch-king hissed, "Seize her! She is the heir to the throne of Hyrule! She must not live!"

Immediately, Orcs and other minions began trying to force their way past the battle in order to reach her, but the sight of their Princess gave the Hylians new determination.

"Defend the Princess! Defend Zelda!"

The rallying cry was taken up by countless soldiers as they did everything in their power to form a wall between the servants of Sauron and Princess Zelda. "Come, Princess, we must _leave_!" Captain Viscen of the Royal Guard cried, taking Zelda by her hand and snapping her out of her stupor. "Hurry, men!"

But the Witch-king would not be denied. Shrieking, he raised his sword, and a torrent of flames ran down the blade as his dark sorcery took hold. Though he, like all Ringwraiths, feared the fires of Anor, the flames of Udûn brought him strength. Unleashing another terrible wail, he charged right into the cluster of Hylian soldiers. The Nazgûl Lord rent armor and shattered blades with sadistic ease, carving a bloody swath of destruction through the Hylians in his determined rush to reach the fleeing Zelda.

And then a single horn-blast reached their ears, rising up over the din of battle, and for a moment all was still. Even the Witch-king had halted, looking over his shoulder towards the fallen gate as his forces still outside turned towards the east, bracing for an attack.

"A Goron-horn!" soldiers cried. "The Gorons are here!"

The Witch-king then realized that enemy reinforcements had arrived. Snarling, he turned his attention back towards Zelda…

…only to realize she was no longer there.

The Princess of Hyrule had escaped him.

XXXXXX

 _Hyrule Castle Dungeons_ …

Ganondorf grumbled to himself as he whiled away the hours in his miserable cell, mulling over the words that had been spoken to him in his dreams.

Was it all true? Was he really Demise reincarnated? And if he took up his predecessor's mantle of the Demon King, was he really destined to be defeated again and again by a boy in green?

"My my, it looks like someone here is deep in thought, Koume…"

"I wonder what he's thinking about, Kotake, hee hee hee…"

Ganondorf's head shot up, and floating on their brooms right inside his cell were none other than the Twinrova Sisters, regarding him with their huge eyes. Ganondorf's eyes narrowed. "About time you old hags showed up," he growled bitterly.

"Tut tut, dear, is that any way to speak to your rescuers?" Koume cackled as she zapped Ganondorf's manacles with a thin beam of superheated flame.

Rubbing his raw wrists, Ganondorf shakily stood, having been unable to do so for months, maybe years. "What took you so long?" Ganondorf demanded.

"Honestly, boy, don't you remember anything we tell you?" Kotake complained with a roll of her eyes. "We said we could not mount a rescue until our new enemy laid siege to Hyrule Castle, thus drawing away anyone who might be inclined to stop us."

"…So Hyrule Castle is under attack," Ganondorf remarked thoughtfully. "Hmph…it serves them right for the treatment they have visited upon myself and my people. Come; let us leave these stinking dungeons. There is much work to be done."

The two witches shared a glance as they cackled wickedly before they teleported out of the dungeons, taking Ganondorf with them.

XXXXXX

Tens of thousands of Orcs and other beasts turned towards Death Mountain as a low rumbling noise followed after the horn blast. Readying themselves for attack, the servants of Sauron waited for their newest enemy to arrive. Finally the rumbling stopped, and about a minute later, a single figure on horseback emerged over the hill. The Orcs laughed and jeered at this; he was nothing more than a boy atop a small pony, hardly big enough to even fill a stew-pot.

But then their laughter slowly died down as more figures rose up around him. They were man-sized, but each was incredibly muscled, with long arms and short legs. Their eyes were black and beady, and their lips large, and their backs much like the rocks they ate.

Link silently looked upon the huge army still swarming outside the castle as Darunia, clad in the battle armor of his people, strode up beside him. Link's eyes narrowed, his icy gaze taking in the sight of Castle Town in flames. Seeing the anger in Link's eyes, Darunia smirked, "Keep your head cool, kid. Looks to me like your friends have been holding out pretty well so far." He pounded his fist into his palm. "Now let's get down there and give 'em a breather, whaddaya say, kid?"

In response, Link drew his sword, ready to bathe it in the blood of these evil creatures that sought to lay Hyrule to ruin. Epona whickered at the motion. Darunia grinned. "Strong, silent type. I like that!"

The new Sage of Fire turned towards his waiting people, his heart swelling with pride at the fire in their eyes. "My brothers, today is a day that will be long remembered by Gorons and Hylians alike! All I ask is, if we must give these bastards our lives, WE GIVE THEM HELL BEFORE WE DO!"

He turned towards their waiting enemy and raised a fist. "Now fly! Fly to Hyrule! RIP OUR ENEMIES ASUNDER!"

With that, the Goron army as one all curled up into balls and began rolling towards the waiting armies of Mordor, picking up speed as they descended the hill. At their head rode Link, who unleashed a battle cry that was drowned out by the rumbling of the Goron army's advance. Orc and Easterling spearmen gathered together, lowering their weapons to receive the coming charge, while several battalions of archers raised their bows and drew back their poisoned, filth-encrusted arrows.

The Gorons heeded none of this, their rolling bodies quickly closing the distance between themselves and their foe. Finally Gothmog, a hideously-disfigured Orc chieftain who served as the Witch-king's second-in-command, gave the order to fire, and a volley of arrows sailed towards the Goron army.

A wave of terror rippled through their ranks as their arrows bounced harmlessly off the Gorons' thick, rock-like hides, and the line of spearmen began to waver.

"Hold, you fools!" Gothmog roared. "HOLD!"

And then the two sides met with a resounding crash and the splintering of countless spears as they shattered against the Gorons' hides. The front line of enemy soldiers disappeared completely beneath the rolling bodies of the Gorons, crushed by their heavy bulk. Onward they came, penetrating deep into the main body of Sauron's army, Orc and man alike crushed to death in droves, until they were pressed about from all sides.

Darunia was the first to unroll, flames gathering around him as he bellowed, "Ancient powers of my fist, _DESTROY THEM_!"

He landed a mighty punch against a nearby Orc, sending it and its nearest compatriots sprawling from a burst of fire magic. Darunia was acclimating well to his new Sage powers. More and more Gorons unrolled, punching every enemy in sight with enough strength to crush bones and shatter skulls. Though the Gorons numbered only a thousand, they had taken down five times that number in the initial charge alone.

Link rode through the Orc host, slicing left and right, each time taking down a foe with a spray of black blood. Gothmog saw him coming and roared as he charged with his huge scimitar held high. It was an ill-advised move, for without even sparing him more than a passing glance, Link blocked his swing and brought his sword around to cleave the Orc-chieftain's ugly head from his shoulders.

Suddenly Epona stopped cold, jolting Link. He looked up to see a massive armored beast bearing down on him with a raging bellow, swinging a mighty hammer. Link instantly leapt off his horse and rolled to his feet as he cried, "Epona, get out of here! Go to Lon Lon Ranch!"

The horse was smart enough to know what she had been ordered to do, and promptly fled the battlefield towards the ranch she had once called home. With his horse's safety assured, Link turned his attention towards the approaching Attack Troll. With amazing skill, he rolled under the monster's legs as it smashed its hammer down upon where he once stood, and before it could turn around, he climbed up its scaly back. The Troll, in its stupidity, did not realize what has happening until it was too late, as Link jumped over its head and drove his sword into its skull, its fine make allowing it to easily push through the Troll's thick skull and armor. Link backflipped off its face and landed gracefully on the ground as the Troll lurched backward and fell with a groan.

Orcs descended upon him, thinking him to be easy prey, but his age belied his incredible skill, for the blood of the Hero's legacy flowed through his veins, and no single foe could ever stand against him. Orc, Goblin, Urûk, Easterling, and Haradrim alike fell beneath his blade, and though he was but a boy, he fought like one of the feared Elf-lords of old in Middle-earth. Three Easterlings and several Urûks surrounded him on all sides, and to this, Link responded with a fearsome spin attack that sent all of them flying back, dead.

All around him, the Gorons were quickly beginning to turn the tide with their superior strength and sheer ferocity, for though friendly by nature, when roused to anger the people of Death Mountain were unstoppable. Hundreds, thousands of Orcs and evil men fell uselessly before their might, and though the superior numbers of the enemy resulted in some Gorons being felled, it wasn't enough. The Witch-king was losing too many troops too fast. What was more, the arrival of the Gorons had emboldened the defending Hylians, and they rallied again, pushing back against the Orc host.

With the Gorons on one side and the Hylians on the other, the battle had well and truly turned against the Witch-king's forces. He had no other choice. With another fell, hate-filled cry, the Lord of the Nazgûl ordered the retreat.

His surviving soldiers did not need to be told twice; they turned on their heels and fled _en masse_ back the way they came, the surviving Gorons harassing them for many miles until they finally reached the relative safety of the Gerudo Valley. After a long, blood-filled day, the forces of Hyrule had won their first battle in their war with Sauron.

 **XXXXXX000XXXXXX**

 **I wrote this all in about two or three hours. I admit, I had a lot of fun writing this part, so I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Next time, while Hyrule takes time to grieve, the Witch-king recoups his losses, and Ganondorf returns with Twinrova to the Spirit Temple just in time to find a surprise visitor…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Grief, Betrayal, and Vengeance**

" _Your forces…were defeated_." It came out slowly, in a deadly calm that even the Witch-king trembled before, even though it was through a palantír and not face-to-face.

"…Yes, Master. We almost had the city in our grasp. I even slew their king in single combat, but…when victory seemed at hand, a host of enemy reinforcements attacked us from the west. Our arrows and spears were useless against them. They fought with the strength of Trolls, and we were caught off-guard."

Sauron, however, did not seem to accept this excuse. " _You_ _ **fool**_ _. I trusted you to lead this campaign, and already you have lost your first battle_!"

"A mistake I shalt not repeat, Lord," the Witch-king answered. "Since our return, I have had Easterling and Haradrim scouts dispatched to all four corners of this land to gather information, and…"

" _You should have done that_ _ **before**_ _you attacked_ ," Sauron answered coldly. " _Your blunder cost us the element of surprise_!"

"Master…I do not think the element of surprise ever was on our side."

" _What do you mean_?" Sauron growled, his hidden eyes narrowing beneath his ponderous helm.

"The enemy reinforcements," the Witch-king slowly explained. "They could not have arrived as soon as they had without advanced warning. I don't know exactly how, but I believe they may have been warned of our coming."

" _When you first made contact there, you encountered natives. Were they exterminated_?"

"We drove them from this fortress, and our Warg-riders pursued them for many miles…"

" _Were. They._ _ **Eliminated**_?" Sauron was losing his patience.

It should not have been possible, but the Nazgûl Lord actually managed to look slightly sheepish as he finally admitted, "Our Warg-riders…returned empty-handed. They claimed to have pursued them into a forest of some sort, but something scared them off. The stupid creatures could not describe it, but _something_ about the forest terrified them so much that they turned and fled. When they finally returned…they spotted two riders heading for the castle. A boy, and one of the desert natives. The Warg-pack…failed to catch them."

There was chilling silence on Sauron's end of the palantír. The Witch-king nervously fidgeted, awaiting the explosion that was soon to erupt.

But Sauron's response was quiet and low, which was even worse, as it meant that his master was so enraged that emotion utterly failed him. The Dark Lord's most terrifying punishments were often spawned from his wicked mind when this tranquil fury took hold.

" _Had I known that you would fail me so utterly here, I would have led this campaign myself_."

The Witch-king visibly winced. "Yes, Lord."

" _I am giving you one chance to redeem yourself in my eyes._ _ **One**_ _. If you fail me again, I will come myself, and_ _ **there will be consequences**_ _. Is that_ _ **understood**_?"

"Perfectly, Master," the Witch-king acknowledged, withering beneath the piercing stare of the Eye.

" _Now, before you begin, I offer you more reinforcements of your choosing. Name it, and it will cross the Ether Bridge tonight and join you_."

This was it. The Witch-king knew this defeat was his fault, as he could have wiped out both enemies easily had he brought the whole army with him. But in his arrogance, he had thought he wouldn't need them all, and had kept the greater part of his forces in reserve back in the desert. But he would not make that mistake again. Now that he knew the strength of his enemies, it was time to fight fire with fire. Literally.

"I require the might of the Flame of Udûn… _Bring me Durin's Bane_."

XXXXXX

When Impa returned to Hyrule Castle from her mission to the Shadow Temple, she was greeted to a scene of utter destruction. The bodies of the dead were piled within the town and outside the walls like shingles in a storm, and a heavy scent of blood and smoke permeated the air. Hundreds of Gorons were pacing around the battlefield, dispatching any enemy survivors they found. The Sheikah warrior broke into a run, thousands of horrible scenarios running through her mind as she raced past the Gorons and the ruined drawbridge into Castle Town, where she halted.

Link and the Goron leader Darunia solemnly stood by as Princess Zelda knelt by the body of her father, weeping. All around them, the surviving Hylian soldiers helped the wounded, while some of the civilians focused on putting out the fires. Impa shook this scene of horror aside as she approached the princess.

Link was the first to notice her approach as his head darted up. "Impa! You're back!"

"Forgive me for the delay," Impa answered gravely. "The spirits of the dead within the Shadow Temple have not rested easily. That place was a house of torment before it became a place of worship, and Harkinian had many political prisoners put there during the Fierce War."

Link shuddered, as he remembered his time in that fearful place. Torture devices everywhere, skeletons whispering things only Navi could hear, the dead walking and seeking his flesh and soul to devour…and the blood. So much blood.

"There's nothing holy about that place," Link said, barely above a whisper.

"It may not seem so, but we made it holy in the hopes that the sacredness of Shadow beyond the evil influence of Majora would honor the spirits of those who were unfairly put to death beneath its shadowed barrows. But it's too little, too late. The dead roam, hating the living for the crimes visited upon them in life. It will never again be safe for those who wish to enter. I will not go there again."

Link nodded in understanding before Impa turned her attention towards Zelda, who was too consumed by grief to acknowledge her caretaker's presence. Impa knelt, a deep sadness in her eyes as she put a gentle hand on Zelda's shoulders. "Princess?"

Without looking up, Zelda sniffed as she said, "My father is dead, Impa…I'm too young to take the throne, and we have no advisors to act as regent until I'm of age." Finally she looked up with tear-stained eyes. "What will we do?"

"There is no one else," Impa sadly answered. "You have to be the one to take the throne." And then she wrapped her charge, the girl she had come to regard very much like her own daughter, up in a warm hug as she said, "But you will not be alone. We Sages will be here to guide you and advise you so that you may act in the best interests of _all_ the people of Hyrule."

Darunia raised a fist. "Your father was my sworn brother. To honor his memory, I will stand by you on behalf of the Goron people, Princess Zelda."

Link smiled as he drew his sword and knelt. "I made this vow before, far in a future that never was. And now I make it again. No matter what happens, no matter where or when I am, I will always fight for you."

Zelda was silent as she looked down upon Link, not knowing what to say. But before she could find words, a soldier ran up to them, his eyes wide with fear. "Y-Your Majesty! Ganondorf…G-Ganondorf has escaped! H-he's gone!"

XXXXXX

 _Spirit Temple_ …

Empty.

That was the only way Nabooru could describe it. She had expected those wicked old hags to descend upon her the moment she entered the old temple, or at least send some monster to waylay her, but nothing had appeared. The place was totally abandoned. If that was the case, where in the hell did those witches go? Had Sauron driven them out of here too?

Nabooru silently shook her head as she went up a flight of stairs. No, that didn't make sense. The Spirit Temple was very far out of the way of the enemy's path into Hyrule. They didn't know of this place, and so would not have thought to come this way.

Maybe Zelda had been wrong. Maybe the Twinrova Sisters had finally just croaked of old age, or perhaps they had never been here at all.

Nabooru, however, wasn't totally counting on it, so she hurried through the Spirit Temple towards where she knew the old altar to be. Soon enough she found it, and she slowly walked towards it, feeling a sense of divine power in the air, but a diminished one. Like whatever power here was dormant, waiting to be released.

Letting out a sigh of resignation, she stood before the altar and knelt, folding her hands in prayer as she closed her eyes.

And then, without warning, an invisible force threw her back, slamming her against her back and knocking the wind out of her. And then, just as suddenly, she was lifted into the air and surrounded by a pink prism of energy. "W-what is this?!" Nabooru cried, pounding her fists fruitlessly against her prison.

"Well well well, Koume, it looks like we have a visitor, ho ho ho!"

"Looks like it, Kotake, hee hee hee hee…"

Nabooru's blood froze. They _were_ here. She had been careless.

"How rude of her to enter our temple while we were away! Isn't that right, sister?"

"Oh ho ho ho ho…still, this is quite the unexpected opportunity! Isn't that right, _Lord Ganondorf_?"

Nabooru's eyes widened as the hated twin sorceresses appeared out of thin air, and standing between them was…

"My king!" she cried, leaning against her prison. "Y-you're free!"

"No thanks to _you_ ," Ganondorf growled, bitter betrayal heavy in his tone.

Koume and Kotake cackled as they hovered on their brooms, circling Nabooru like a pair of vultures. "Indeed!" Kotake laughed. "While the rest of you moved on with your petty, pathetic lives, we plotted to help our lord escape!"

"How dare you?!" Nabooru yelled. "For years we demanded that the Hylians free him! But there was no way we could mount a rescue! We didn't have the strength! We hadn't forgotten just how outmatched we were by the Hylian army! What could we have done?! Despite all that, my loyalty to our king never wavered!"

"Eee hee hee hee hee hee!" Koume cackled. "Even now she lies to you, my son! Now do you see her for the snake she is?!"

Choosing to ignore the circling witches, Nabooru instead looked down at her lord, who merely glared at her with his arms folded. "P-please, My Lord…" she begged. "W-what must I do to prove my loyalty to you?"

After a moment of silence, Ganondorf finally spoke. "I will decide that in due time. But until then, you'll rot in a cell just as I did for countless months."

The Twinrova Sisters cackled merrily as they began to lead Nabooru away. The whole way, she begged and pleaded. "No! Please, My Lord! Wait! _Wait_!"

Ganondorf merely watched as she was taken away, that same glare still on his face. Right before the door slammed shut, she let out one final, " _GANONDORF_!"

XXXXXX

 _Two days later_ …

The funeral for King Harkinian had finally ended. The mourners had returned to their homes, and the King had been laid to rest in the Royal Family's Tomb near the castle, as the old one in Kakariko Village could no longer be used due to undead creatures roaming around inside the catacombs. Right afterwards, Zelda had reluctantly accepted the crown, and now she stood on the castle balcony, with the townspeople crowded together below, waiting with bated breath for whatever she had to say. On each side by her stood Link and Impa, there to offer her silent encouragement as she addressed her people.

"People of Hyrule," Zelda began, her voice carrying across the field. "I have accepted my father's crown, and thus his responsibility for your safety and happiness. But dark times are ahead for our kingdom yet. The foe that attacked our fair city and murdered my father is not through with us yet. They are the servants of an enemy not of our world, who, through unknown means, has learned about our Triforce of the Gods, and seeks to claim its divine power for himself. It is with a heavy heart that I must confirm that war is indeed upon us. To fight back will require the strength of all of Hyrule's people, Hylians, Gorons, Zoras, Kokiri, and Gerudo alike, for our enemy's strength is vast, and we cannot overcome it while we are divided. But that is not the only ill news I bring you. The Gerudo King Ganondorf, whom was prophesied to take up the mantle of Demise himself as the new Demon King, escaped his imprisonment during the battle with the help of whom I believe to be his long-time accomplices, the Twinrova Sisters, and I fear it is only a matter of time before he enters this fight on his own terms. While I doubt he will seek to join forces with our new enemy, there is no doubt that he will be no friend to us. We must rely on the strength of each other if we are to have any chance of stemming the ambitions of _two_ Dark Lords. That is why, until our beautiful land of Hyrule is safe again, I will not take up the mantle of your Queen, but remain your Princess. This is my solemn vow to you, my people."

Zelda paused for a moment, allowing the townsfolk to murmur worriedly amongst themselves, before she chose to continue. "As a result of this unprecedented threat, it is by royal decree that a military draft is henceforth in effect. All men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five are henceforth required to serve in the Hylian army for the duration of this conflict. I need every last one of you for this fight. _Hyrule_ needs every last one of you."

The townspeople were silent as her words sunk in…until a single man abruptly shouted, "I fight for Princess Zelda! Long live Princess Zelda!"

The clamor slowly grew, until the entire crowd chanted, "LONG LIVE THE PRINCESS! LONG LIVE THE PRINCESS!"

Tears fell from her eyes as Zelda looked on.

XXXXXX

 _Later_ …

Zelda sat at a large, round table in Hyrule Castle's strategy room, with Link, Darunia, and Impa joining her. Zelda sighed as she placed her folded hands on the table. "We are still at a disadvantage here. Only three Sages are among us at this time. Nabooru and Saria have still not returned from their own journeys, and with Ganondorf having escaped, I now fear even more for Nabooru, as I believe the Spirit Temple has been the hideout for the Gerudo Witches known as the Twinrova Sisters for some time now. It is they who have ceaselessly nurtured the evil in Ganondorf's heart to turn him into a facsimile of the Demon King of old, and I suspect they were the ones who helped him escape while we were distracted. I have no doubts that he has gone with them back to the Spirit Temple. If Nabooru is still there, she could be in even more danger than I initially expected."

Link swallowed heavily. Though he was stronger now and a little older, when he had first encountered Ganondorf face-to-face, the warlord had easily bested him through his dark sorcery. Even if he didn't have the Triforce of Power now, a part of Link still feared that he would suffer the same fate should he and his nemesis come to blows again under similar circumstances.

"The Gerudo Desert and the Kokiri Forest are both a long way from here," Darunia reminded her. "While I understand your concern for Nabooru, I suspect Saria will encounter little trouble with her end of the mission."

"Even if Saria and Nabooru were among us, we are still one Sage short," Impa spoke up. "Princess Ruto of the Zoras must awaken her powers as well. Only then will the circle of Sages be complete."

"So the Sages are all more or less the leaders of their respective peoples?" Darunia asked. "That's as convenient as it is worrisome."

"The Kokiri do not have an official leader amongst themselves apart from the Great Deku Tree," Zelda replied. "And Ruto's father, Zora De Bon the Sixteenth, is the one who rules the Zoras. Still, it is the Sages that must serve as the leaders of their peoples during our battles with Sauron's evil legions. Your powers will serve as a rallying cry for us all. We need the Sages at the front lines, for Sauron has many powerful servants under his thrall, including the foul shade that slew my father in battle."

Zelda's eyes were downcast as she said this, and they knew it was because she had watched him die. "My father plunged his blade deep into that monster's heart, only for that blade to crumble to dust as the wraith cut him down, _laughing_ while he did so…"

"I heard talk among the surviving soldiers and knights," Impa said. "The one who killed Harkinian is the greatest of Sauron's servants, a wraith who calls himself the Witch-king of Angmâr." A collective shudder involuntarily trailed down their spines at the mention of the Nazgûl Lord's name. "This specter claimed to have killed greater beings than our king, and that no living man could slay him."

"So that _wasn't_ Sauron, then," Zelda breathed. "It was yet another one of his servants. I know not whether I should be relieved that this Dark Lord has not come here himself, or afraid because a being of such terrible power calls _him_ Master."

"Look, it doesn't matter how powerful any of them are," Link abruptly said. "If we are to protect Hyrule and the Triforce, we have to fight back regardless, and hope that our strength is enough."

"That still does not answer the question of Ganondorf," Impa reminded them. "With him loose again, it's only a matter of time before he will start summoning monsters to serve him, and though he will fight against Sauron, he will be a major threat to us as well."

"I…truthfully do not know how we will answer that threat," Zelda admitted. "But the Spirit Temple is in the Gerudo Desert. If Ganondorf wants to get to us, he will have to go through Sauron's forces first."

"If that's the case, he might actually not act right away," Link theorized. "If we're lucky, he might even wait until Sauron's army is dealt with before he strikes."

"After which we'll be too exhausted from our fight with Sauron to put up sufficient resistance," Zelda bluntly pointed out.

"Oh." Link looked down as the realization weighed on him. "The answer's right in front of us, isn't it? And yet I don't know if it'll be enough this time."

All of them looked at Link as he sighed. "I defeated Ganondorf once. But that was in the future, and at the time I had the Triforce of Courage _and_ the power of you Sages backing me up. When I first faced him, I was not much younger than I am now, and…well, he wasn't even _trying_ , and I was still easily beaten. And that was _before_ he got his hands on the Triforce and became the King of Evil."

"Yes," Zelda concurred with a nod. "Ganondorf is already a potent sorcerer, with an understandable affinity for dark magic, given his upbringing and nature as Demise reborn." She gave Link a solemn stare. "I agree, Link; as you are, you cannot face Ganondorf as he is now. Even without the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf is still the strongest dark wizard seen in Hyrule since the time of Vaati the Wind Mage. And you are still too young to wield the Master Sword, even if you are worthy of being its bearer, and we simply cannot afford to have you go into another years-long stasis while your body grows up enough to wield it."

"That, and we still need you to go to the Zoras and get Ruto to awaken her Sage powers," Impa pointed out. "And hopefully bring a Zora army with her…"

Link sighed. "I know. It's just…I'm the only one who ever successfully defeated Ganondorf. I can't do it again; not without the Master Sword…but obtaining it could possibly condemn Hyrule to Sauron's dominion. It's like choosing between which Dark Lord gets to rule Hyrule, in the end."

"The way I see it, we can't afford to worry about Ganondorf right now," Darunia said. "Sauron is the more pressing threat here. Unlike Ganondorf, Sauron already has an army here, one that alone outnumbers all of our respective peoples' warriors put together."

Zelda sighed in resignation. "You're right. Sauron is our main concern at this time. And regardless, we still need to awaken and gather all the Sages."

Link nodded. "I understand, Zelda. Tomorrow I'll head out for Zora's Domain."

Zelda nodded. "Thank you, Link."

"I will ready the rest of our people for war," Darunia vowed.

"I will go to Kakariko Village and spread word of the draft there," Impa proclaimed. "After which I'll ride to Kokiri Forest and bring the Kokiri and Gerudo here to aid us."

Zelda then looked at Link once more. "And Link…?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"…Be careful."

Link fought back a blush, and Darunia chuckled as he clapped Link on the back. "She's sweet on ya, kid!"

The strength of this gesture, however, ended up smashing Link's forehead against the surface of the table, knocking him clean out. A bead of sweat ran down everyone's forehead as Darunia sheepishly muttered, "Uh…perhaps I overdid it."

 **XXXXXX000XXXXXX**

 **Bloody hell, I'm on a roll with this.**

 **Anyways, next time, questions will be asked: despite knowing his fate, is Ganondorf still walking the path to darkness? Or is the Gerudo King wilier than that? And what exactly does the Witch-king have planned now that a beast of Shadow and Flame has entered the fray? And when will the author shut up and get the next chapter out?**

 **Stand by!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: The Nature of Destiny**

It was reaching late afternoon the day after he had left when Link, still nursing an ugly bruise on his forehead courtesy of Darunia's inability to rein in his own incredible strength, reached the Zora's River and began the trek along the trail that led along the river over to Zora's Domain. The sound of the crystal-clear water had a sort of calming effect that made Link almost forget that an enemy more dangerous than even Ganon had been now lurked in the Gerudo Desert, plotting and planning Hyrule's downfall.

But even so, Link was smart enough to know that there was no use clinging to this last vestige of tranquility. Sauron was waging war on their entire world, and a part of him hated the fact that he was approaching the Zoras with the express intention of drawing them into the conflict. He remembered well how much King Zora doted on Ruto, to the point that he often smothered her, much to her distress. He was overprotective, and would no doubt react to the news of his daughter's Sagehood less than enthusiastically.

And with the knowledge that Ganondorf was loose too…

No, Link didn't even _want_ to think about that right now as he crossed a shallow point in the river to reach the other side of the bank, where the trail continued. Sauron was, for the time being, the much bigger threat, as Ganondorf did not have the Triforce of Power or an army at his back. Yet.

Link had come to know the way to Zora's Domain by heart, leaping over stepping-stones and across shallow water almost without any conscious thought, and soon enough, he was at the main entrance to their lair. The way in was blocked by a huge waterfall, as the Zoras were not as outgoing as the Gorons when it came to foreigners, but their relations with the Royal Family had always been friendly.

The proof in that came from the way for those of the Royal Family to enter the Domain. Link stood on the stone engraving of the Triforce and brought out the Ocarina of Time, playing Zelda's Lullaby. Immediately the waters of the Zora Falls parted, opening the way in.

Inside, Link took a moment to appreciate the familiarity of his surroundings. Zora's Domain hadn't changed much in the three years since he had last seen it. The various fish-people were going about their business as they always did, and Link strode purposefully past them as he made his way over to where he knew King Zora's throne room to be. Sure enough, once he traversed the flight of stairs, he found himself in Zora De Bon's royal chambers, where the huge Zora ruler was sitting in his usual place.

 _Does this guy ever move_? Link found himself wondering for a moment before remembering why he had come.

Standing at his side was, of course, Princess Ruto, who looked him up and down with a critical eye.

"Hm?" King Zora spoke as he noticed Link's entry. "A visitor? It's rare for a non-Zora to come here these days. Does the Royal Family have need of me?"

"Who are you?" Ruto abruptly demanded. "Something about you seems oddly…familiar, even though I know I've never seen you before. And why on earth do you look like you just head-butted a Goron?"

Link subconsciously rubbed the bruise still throbbing slightly in his forehead. _Well, it's not that far from the truth_ …

Clearing his throat, Link announced, "King Zora De Bon the Sixteenth, my name is Link. I've come on behalf of Princess Zelda of Hyrule. Recently, a new enemy invaded Hyrule with a vast and powerful army, seeking to lay claim to the Triforce in our guardianship. Already they have tried to seize it, but we were able to drive them off, but with heavy loss. King Harkinian is dead."

King Zora and Ruto both gasped in surprise. "Dead?" King Zora exclaimed. "How can this be?"

"Hyrule has been at peace ever since the Fierce War ended!" Ruto cried. "Who has broken it?"

"He calls himself the Dark Lord Sauron," Link explained gravely. "He does not hail from our world, but he has somehow managed to open a portal in the Gerudo Desert that has allowed legions of his soldiers and monsters to cross over into Hyrule. Though I don't believe Sauron has come here himself, the fact that he vanquished the forces of good in his realm leads me to believe that we are facing a power the likes of which Hyrule hasn't seen since the Demon Wars long ago."

King Zora leaned back solemnly in his seat. "Speak, royal messenger. What is it you are asking of us?"

Link's eyes locked onto Ruto's for a moment before he finally replied, "In order for us to stand against the power of Sauron and his mightiest servants, the power of the ancient Sages must be reawakened. Already we have found the other Sages-to-be, who have already awakened their powers or are in the process of doing so, but there is one yet that remains unaccounted for, the one who will inherit the mantle of the Sage of Water, and that, King Zora, is your daughter, Ruto."

Ruto's eyes widened in surprise as King Zora spluttered, "Wh-what madness is this? You are saying my daughter, my sweet, innocent, beautiful Princess Ruto is a _Sage_? Absolute nonsense!"

Link did not fail to notice Ruto glare indignantly at her father, but he remained calm as he continued. "I assure you, King Zora, that I am not deceiving you, and I come on behalf of Princess Zelda herself, who now rules over the Kingdom of Hyrule in her father's place. She is not lying; Ruto is the Sage-to-be of Water, and the Kingdom of Hyrule needs her and the help of the Zora army to overcome this evil, for Sauron's hordes are vast, and the army we repelled at Hyrule Castle not two days ago was only a small part of a much larger force."

"Our relations with the Kingdom of Hyrule have always been friendly," King Zora slowly answered. "But they asked us for similar aid during the Fierce War, and my answer then was no. So shall it be now. I will not ask my people to fight and die in the wars of foreigners."

"Your Majesty, whether you like it or not, this is your war too," Link sternly pressed on. "Sauron will not stop with the Kingdom of Hyrule. If he conquers us and gains the Triforce, he will come for you next. And the Gorons, the Kokiri…everyone in Hyrule will be subject to his rule! Is that what you really want?"

"Now listen here, boy," King Zora warned.

"Father, he's right."

Both of them paused in surprise at the interruption and looked over at Ruto, whose arms were folded. "Princess Zelda wouldn't lie about something this serious. If I'm supposed to be a Sage, then I believe her."

"B-but Ruto! You cannot be serious!"

"Yes, I _am_ serious! And I know that you don't _want_ to believe it because you can't bear the thought of ' _poor, beautiful, innocent Princess Ruto_ ' becoming anything other than some Zora noble's trophy wife! Well, I won't stand for it! Not anymore! _I'm not your doll_!"

Link's eyes widened at Ruto's audacity. Heedless of this, she continued, "Now I have the chance to do something important, for the good of all of Hyrule! If my destiny is to become a Sage, then I happily accept it! I'd rather be a Sage than a trophy wife!"

"Ruto…how can you say such things?"

"Father, stop being so ignorant! I'm not a tadpole anymore! The Kingdom of Hyrule needs our help, especially mine, and I'm going to help them! If you truly care about me, you'll send our best warriors with me to help Hyrule against this Sauron guy! If they're right, he's a threat to the Zora Kingdom as well!"

King Zora looked conflicted. "My dear Ruto…are you sure about this?"

Ruto nodded resolutely. "I am, Father." She then turned towards Link. "What do I need to do?"

"You need to go to the Water Temple in Lake Hylia and pray at the altar. After that, we need you to come to Hyrule Castle, where the other Sages and their armies have gathered. Once all of the Sages are together, you'll go to the Temple of Time to receive training from the Sage of Light in how to use your powers."

Ruto nodded. "Then I'm off to Lake Hylia."

King Zora sighed. "I will…assemble the army. We will arrive at Hyrule Castle in three days' time."

Link bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"And boy?"

"Yes?"

"…take care of my daughter. She is all I have left."

XXXXXX

 _Spirit Temple_ …

Nabooru grimly brooded as she sat alone in her cell, bound in chains. Had they been right? This whole time, had the Hylians been right about Ganondorf? The thought made her ill, because a part of her had refused to accept the possibility. But now she had been given what seemed to be undeniable proof of Ganondorf's cruelty, to treat his most loyal follower like a traitor.

As she thought this, her mind wandered back to better days in their youth, before Twinrova, before the Fierce War. She and Ganondorf had known each other since they were little kids. She could recall the days of laughter and mischief as they raised all sorts of hell for the adults.

But those days were gone now. Ganondorf had changed. She had changed. Everything had changed.

"Oh ho ho ho ho, look at this, Koume! The little traitor is crying!"

Nabooru's head shot up at the hated voice.

"Heh heh heh heh, how utterly pathetic, isn't she, Kotake?"

With a burst of fire and ice magic, the Twinrova Sisters appeared in her cell, evil grins on their wrinkled old faces.

" _You_ ," Nabooru growled with as much hate she could muster.

Koume and Kotake cackled as Nabooru struggled against her chains, to no avail. "It must be so heartbreaking to see how he has changed," Koume laughed.

"Surely the Hylians must have told you his destiny," Kotake said.

"Yes, yes!" Koume cackled. "The Great King of Darkness!"

"The Demon King!" Kotake cried joyously.

"And this time, you and your fellow _Sages_ won't be able to stop him!" Koume hissed, her eyes narrowing.

Nabooru's eyes widened as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "You _knew_ …the whole time, you _knew_ I was a Sage-to-be. That's why you always wanted me dead…why you've worked so hard to convince Lord Ganondorf that I'm a traitor!"

"Oh ho ho ho!" Kotake laughed. "You may not be a traitor _now_ , but when Lord Ganondorf takes up his destiny as the King of Evil, you will most assuredly try to stop him with your fellow Sages and that **_wretched_** boy!"

"But this time, we won't let it happen again!" Koume declared. "This time, the great Ganondorf will prevail…"

"He will take the Triforce for his own…"

"And the legacy of Demise shall rule over this world forever!"

"And of course," Kotake hissed, getting right in Nabooru's face, "in order for him to truly become the master of all evil, his ties must all be severed. As long as he cares for you and the rest of the Gerudo, he is holding himself back."

"But now that he thinks all of you are traitors," Koume added, "it won't be long before he will seek to rule only for himself, as he should!"

Their horrible screeching laughter rang in Nabooru's ears as they gloated, seeping into her soul and withering any sense of hope within her. Ganondorf's very soul was doomed, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"So the truth is _finally_ revealed."

And just like that, the witches' laughter stopped cold. They and Nabooru all looked to see Ganondorf standing there with his arms folded, a deadly glare boring holes in his surrogate mothers.

"L-Lord Ganondorf!" Koume cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Seeking answers," Ganondorf replied. "And it seems I have found them, just as I suspected I would. I knew you old hags couldn't resist gloating to her about your plans, and I simply waited for you to make your move and decided to eavesdrop on your little conversation."

"Now Lord Ganondorf, listen…" Kotake began.

"You lied to me," Ganondorf growled, cutting her off. "About a great many things."

"My Lord, don't you understand?" Koume pleaded. "It is your destiny to become the King of Darkness, and _she_ is a threat to that destiny!"

"I didn't ask for this destiny!" Ganondorf roared, taking a threatening step forward. "Long did I spend under your tutelage, thinking I was doing it for the benefit of the Gerudo, but I now see that your interest was never in them, or me, but in Demise's ill-fated conquest! I have seen the future that awaits me should I give in to his whispered promises, and I will not resign myself to such a fate! It ends here! I will not be his puppet! I will not be your _pawn_!"

A deadly silence permeated the dungeon as the witches gawked at Ganondorf, until finally Koume broke the silence, her bulbous eyes narrowing to slits. "How _dare_ you, boy," she growled, power beginning to grow behind her words.

"After everything we've done for you, molding you into the ultimate warrior," Kotake hissed as magic gathered around her as well, " _this_ is how you repay us?! With _treachery_?!"

The two witches clasped arms as they were surrounded by fire and ice energy, glaring daggers at Ganondorf. " _That_ we will not forgive!" they both cried.

There was a bright flash of light, and Nabooru had to close her eyes in order to not be blinded. Ganondorf, however, did not flinch, watching as the magic faded, revealing the combined form of his mothers, Twinrova. "You will take up your destiny if we have to _beat it back into you_!"

Ganondorf's entire body was engulfed in powerful dark energy as he yelled back his challenge. "Fools! I am Ganondorf, and from this day forth, _I make my own destiny_!"

Twinrova screeched as she flung a ball of fire magic at Ganondorf, who struck the attack with the back of his hand, sending it careening back towards Twinrova. With her ice wand, she dissipated the attack and countered with an ice beam attack. Ganondorf dodged, the ground freezing solid where he had stood a second before as he sent a counterattack energy bolt at the sorceress, which Twinrova blocked with an ice shield. However, Ganondorf took advantage of this and leapt high into the air, raising his fist and charging it full of energy. Before Twinrova even had time to dissipate the shield, Ganondorf's Warlock Punch smashed right through it and connected with Twinrova's shocked face.

Her head snapped sideways from the blow as she was knocked to the ground. Ganondorf wasted no time as he sent another energy blast hurtling towards her. Twinrova screamed as her body blew apart, transforming her back into two groaning, weakened witch sisters. As Ganondorf approached, dark magic billowing out of his fists, Koume feebly raised an arm. "Ha-have mercy, M-My Lord!"

Ganondorf loomed over the Twinrova Sisters, his yellow eyes burning with anger. "Was it not you who taught me not to show mercy to my enemies?"

Koume shrieked in fear as Kotake whimpered, "You…y-you would not hurt your own mothers, would you?"

Ganondorf said nothing as he towered over their pathetic forms, and then, without warning, his magic faded away with a hiss. "No…I wouldn't."

Koume and Kotake regarded him with shock, but Ganondorf was not finished. "But I will never again put any faith in your words or powers. As King of the Gerudo, I henceforth banish you from all Gerudo lands, including our revered temple, for the remainder of your unnatural lifetimes. Know this, you old hags…" At this, Ganondorf leaned threateningly over the frightened old crones. "If I ever hear that you are in our lands again, I will not show mercy a second time. Is that clear?"

The sisters shakily nodded, their eyes wide with terror. "Now _get out_ ," Ganondorf growled.

With a shriek of despair and powerless rage, the Twinrova Sisters vanished, leaving Ganondorf and Nabooru alone in the chamber. Nabooru regarded Ganondorf with awe as he turned his attention towards her and ripped open the cell door. "I'm sorry I put you through this," he said "But I needed to get the truth somehow, so I set a trap with you as the bait."

Nabooru said nothing as Ganondorf magicked the manacles off her arms and stood there, looking surprisingly sheepish. "I…I was foolish for believing you to be a traitor, even if only for a moment. Long has my mind been clouded by their manipulations."

Nabooru was silent for several moments before she finally rushed forward and wrapped the Gerudo King up in a fierce hug. Ganondorf spluttered indignantly for a moment before Nabooru whimpered, "I missed you, Ganon."

Ganondorf found himself smiling as he awkwardly returned the hug of his second-in-command and childhood friend.

XXXXXX

Twenty minutes later…

"Fill me in. What's been going on lately with this 'new enemy' everyone keeps talking about?" Ganondorf asked as he accompanied Nabooru back towards the Altar of Spirit.

"He calls himself the Dark Lord Sauron," Nabooru explained. "He comes from another world and somehow found out about the Triforce. In order to seize it, he sent an army through a portal into our world through the Gerudo Desert. We were driven out by their forces and are currently taking shelter in the Lost Woods."

"And the guardian spirit there has let you stay?" Ganondorf asked, surprised.

"For the time being, yes," Nabooru answered. "Anyways, our fortress has been turned into their base of operations. Their flags now fly from our walls." A note of bitterness entered her tone at this.

"How many?"

"At least a hundred thousand. Their camps fill up the entire valley from one end to the other. I was able to sneak by them with help from a gift from a friend, but there's no way you could get past them without being seen."

"I'll figure out a way. Is this it?"

They had arrived back at the altar, where her Stone Mask and Mirror Shield had been left behind. Retrieving them, Nabooru knelt at the altar as she had done before while Ganondorf waited in the background, his arms folded as he leaned against the wall. Countless minutes passed as Nabooru prayed under her breath, pleading with the Goddess of Power for the strength she and her people needed to overcome the evil that shadowed the land.

And then it happened.

The room grew dark as unimaginable power manifested within the room, centered squarely upon the altar. Ganondorf took a step back in utter shock as a stunningly-beautiful woman with flaming red hair tied in a bun, as well as a billowing dress red as the fiercest flame, took shape before Nabooru, placing her toned arms on both of Nabooru's shoulders as the power of the Spirit Sage poured into its newest bearer.

Ganondorf could not believe his eyes. There was no other being this could possibly be.

"Din…" he breathed. "The Goddess of Power…"

And then Din's warm gaze fell upon the other occupant, who bowed out of reverence, pointedly ignoring the part of him that screamed in defiance at such a gesture.

 _Rise, my champion_ , Din spoke.

Ganondorf started as he realized that he definitely recognized that voice now. "You… _you_ were the one that spoke to me in my dreams," he marveled.

Din nodded, that smile still on her face. _While it is true that the slumbering soul of one of our greatest enemies rests within you, I sense that you have the potential for greatness apart from what Demise desires of you. We of the Golden Three need our champions in order to combat the growing darkness of the Dark Lord Sauron, for alone, none of you are a match for his power. And I have chosen you, Ganondorf of the Gerudo, to be my champion, my Bearer of Power. However, there is one problem. As long as the essence of Demise dwells within you, I cannot safely trust you with my power. In order to realize your true potential as my champion, he must be well and truly purged from your soul and destroyed once and for all. Then, all his curses will be lifted, and my children that he cursed long ago will be free and will serve you in my name_.

Ganondorf remained kneeling, though he lifted his head to gaze upon Din's divine form. "What must I do to rid myself of this infernal parasite that seeks to control my destiny?"

 _The new Sages of this era are gathering together in Hyrule Castle to combine their powers against this foe. But I fear that the power of the Sages alone will not be enough. The Hero of Courage, the Princess of Wisdom, and the King of Power are needed as well. To free yourself and our world of Demise's influence, you must go to the Sages and ask for their help. They will not trust you, but you must convince them that you need their help. Allow them to use their combined Sage powers on you, and at the same time, use your own willpower to force Demise out of your body. Once he has been purged from your soul, use the power of the Triforce to destroy him completely. When that is done, the many monster tribes imprisoned and enslaved by him will be freed. My children will answer to you, as their savior and my champion, and with their help, Hyrule will have a force mighty enough to stand against the armies of Sauron_.

"My Lady, how will I convince them of my sincerity?" Ganondorf asked incredulously. "The Hylians believe me to be their enemy! They would surely lock me up once more!"

 _Perhaps they might,_ Din acknowledged _. But the Champion of Nayru has the ability to see into the hearts of all who look her in the eyes. Plead to her, reason with her, and Wisdom will win out. Make them understand that the Champions of the Three must work together to win this War of the Golden Powers_.

Ganondorf bowed his head once more as he vowed, "In your name, oh Goddess of Power. If you ask it of me, I will be your champion. I will purge myself of Demise's influence, and I will prevent the name of Power from being tainted by his legacy."

Din leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the Gerudo King's forehead. _Now go, my son. Go with my blessing, and save Hyrule from the evil that threatens it_.

XXXXXX

 _Gerudo Fortress_ …

The Witch-king sat in his chambers, drumming his gauntleted fingers against the wooden table as he waited for his scouts to return. Finally the Nazgûl Lord was jolted from his thoughts as a Haradrim scout entered the room, bowing hurriedly.

"Speak!" the Witch-king declared impatiently. "What do you have?"

"I have this, My Lord," the Haradrim scout answered in a thick accent as he brought out a roll of parchment. "It is a map of this land, and our linguists have successfully deciphered it."

The Witch-king stood as the scout unrolled the map and placed it on the table, stepping back as the Witch-king smoothed out the edges. The locations were all described in an unfamiliar script, which had been crossed out and replaced with the more familiar Westron.

"This is Hyrule Castle," the scout explained, pointing on the map. "And over here…" His finger trailed over to the symbol of a mountain. "…is Death Mountain, homeland of a race of creatures called the Gorons. They are the ones who broke our siege the other day."

The Witch-king hissed bitterly at the foul memory. The scout gulped before he continued, "This over here is the Zora's Domain. The Zoras are apparently a race of aquatic creatures who are not as eager to join in foreign conflicts as the Gorons. This is the Lost Woods, where the Warg-scouts pursued the natives that once lived in this desert, the Gerudo apparently, into. And this here is us, in the Gerudo Desert."

The Witch-king pored over the map carefully for several minutes, various strategies forming in his head, before he remembered that the scout was still there, nervously awaiting instructions. "You have done well to bring me this," he spoke. "Now off with you. I have plans to make."

The scout bowed, all too eager to flee the fearsome presence of the Lord of the Nazgûl. The Witch-king hissed as he memorized every detail, every village, every landmark of this foreign land. Finally he allowed himself a hissing laugh. "The fools will likely attempt a counterattack against us, thinking their victory before will lend them an advantage. But we will prove them wrong."

At that moment, a thunderous roar from outside shook the foundations, from an immense beast of shadow and flame, and the Witch-king's unseen smile widened.

"Yes…we will prove them dead wrong."

 **XXXXXX000XXXXXX**

 **This is the premise that got the whole idea of this story started long, long ago. Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf working together against a common foe. Unheard of in Nintendo, but I've always loved the idea. And now I've figured out how to make it reasonably work.**

 **Next time, Ganondorf sucks up his pride (for real this time) and appeals to the Hylians once more for help, only this time, it's to save his soul.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I was suddenly hit by massive Lord of the Rings nostalgia, enough that I was finally able to finish this fairly-large chapter.**

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 **Chapter Seven: The Battle of the Gerudo Desert**

 _Hyrule Castle, two days later_ …

Zelda once more sat at the head of her round table, and this time, all of the Sages had finally arrived, including Nabooru. The Gerudo Sage made no mention of the fact that Ganondorf was also on his way in secret, having to use his magic to elude the vast army still encamped in the valley, but had merely explained that Twinrova had been absent from the temple when she had been there. As it lent proof to the belief that the witches had been the ones to free Ganondorf, Zelda accepted the explanation without question.

"At last, all the Sages are accounted for," Zelda began, her gaze darting between Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, and Nabooru. "All our armies are gathered here at the castle. There's only one last thing to do before we take the fight to the Witch-king. Saria, Darunia, Ruto, do you have the three Spiritual Stones?"

The three of them each held up the Kokiri Emerald, Goron Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire without a word.

"And Link, you possess the Ocarina of Time," Zelda stated, Link nodding his head in confirmation. "With these, we will open the Door of Time. Inside are six pedestals, one for each Sage. Stand on your respective pedestals, and you will be transported to the Chamber of the Sages, where Rauru waits for you."

"And what will you do in the meantime, Princess?" Impa asked.

"I will confer with my generals on a battle plan," Zelda answered. "Nabooru, while you were there, what did you see? What exactly are we up against?"

Nabooru sighed. "Aside from the monsters and men we've seen already? There's a whole lot more of them there, as well as giant spiders, Dodongo-like beasts that might very well be dragons, gigantic war beasts with great towers slung onto their backs, and eldritch phantoms that chill your blood just by looking at them. And there's…something else. I…can't really describe it, as I did not see it, but… _something_ else is there. Something _powerful_ , lying in wait and hidden for now from sight. That is all I know."

"They could very well be waiting for us to counterattack," Zelda mused. "They'll fortify their position, no doubt. And once you begin to use your powers against them, it's very likely you will all become prime targets."

"I suggest bodyguards," Impa suggested. "Each of us protected by a group of our finest respective warriors. That way it will not be so easy for them to overwhelm us, and if things do not go well, they could give us time to retreat to safer ground."

"I think it's a good idea," Darunia added. "After all, not all of us here are born fighters." At this, he glanced at Saria and Ruto. "Their inexperience on the battlefield will leave them vulnerable."

"Experience will come with time," Zelda gravely replied. "Though it saddens me greatly that you two even have to be put into this situation in the first place."

Ruto dismissively waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. I'll manage."

"It's the only way to protect the forest," Saria hesitantly said.

"Even so," Zelda continued, "we must exercise extreme caution. The Witch-king has demonstrated that he cannot be slain by mortal means. I'm certain the Master Sword could destroy him, but given the circumstances, we'll have to find another way unless drawing the sword is absolutely necessary."

Fingering the ocarina in his hands, Link said, "So, are we gonna start or what?"

XXXXXX

 _Gerudo Desert_ …

The Witch-king observed from the highest balcony as his soldiers hastily erected barricades, killing pits, and other gruesome traps all along the valley pass. He knew it was the only way to get into the valley, and forcing the enemy into a bottleneck was a fitting reprisal for his embarrassing defeat at Hyrule Castle. Still, rumors abound that the residents of this land were strongly in-tuned with the magical elements of their world. The enemy would doubtlessly throw their best into the fray, and the Lord of the Nazgûl knew that magic would also be an important factor in the coming battle.

That suited the Witch-king fine. He too had magic on his side.

The Witch-king barely acknowledged two other figures striding up behind him, identical in their black rags and faceless hoods but lacking the Witch-king's unique mask. Two of his fellow Ringwraiths, having recently arrived alongside the others.

"Durin's Bane is growing restless," Khamûl, the so-called 'Black Easterling', commented.

"We will not have to wait for much longer," the Witch-king replied without tearing his gaze from the scene below. "The enemy will march here soon, and when they do…we will be ready for them."

"If only your confidence was more infectious," Morgomír, the third most senior of the Nazgûl, answered darkly. "But after your defeat before…"

Morgomír didn't have a chance to finish before the Witch-king rounded on him and slammed the lesser wraith roughly against the wall. "The situation would not have changed had either of you been in command instead! _So do not patronize me on matters you have no knowledge of_!"

Morgomír wisely said nothing in response. Hissing disdainfully, the Witch-king released his grip and turned back to look down upon the valley. "Our enemies have only one way to enter this valley. We will filter them into a bottleneck with our traps; then our Goblin archers will harass them from the clifftops. Once their advance has fully halted, Durin's Bane will move in with his bodyguards to tear them apart. This time, victory will be _ours_."

As if in agreement, a thunderous roar like a bursting volcano shook the Gerudo Valley as the last of the ancient demons of shadow and flame proclaimed its lust for blood to all that could hear.

XXXXXX

 _Temple of Time_ …

Once Link had opened the Door of Time, the Sages had all filed into the room that contained the Master Sword and did as they had been instructed. They had then vanished in several flashes of light. Now it was a matter of waiting.

Not that Link and Zelda were just standing around waiting.

"Our scouts report that the enemy has heavily fortified their position," a Hylian general informed Zelda. "They've set up all kinds of traps in the valley leading up to the Gerudo's Fortress."

"They know we're coming," Zelda surmised worriedly. "Hopefully the Sages will be able to neutralize them before we move on."

"Your Majesty, are you sure this is a wise course of action?" the general asked uncertainly. "They outnumber us many times over as it is. We'll be forced into a bottleneck, and it could mean suicide for us, especially if they've managed to get troops onto the cliffs."

"What else can we possibly do, Kazakk?" Zelda demanded. "You said it yourself; we're outnumbered many times over. Facing them in open field is _definitely_ suicide. If they go on the offensive again, there's no guarantee we'll be able to defend our outlying villages. And after the beating we took just days ago, Hyrule Castle is in no shape to fend off another siege!"

Kazakk shut his mouth, knowing the Princess was right.

"The Sages are our best hope of stopping the Witch-king," Zelda continued. "And the bottleneck will benefit us too, if we are able to drive any enemies off the cliffs, because it will mean they cannot take advantage of their superior numbers."

"Yes, Princess," Kazakk replied in resignation.

"Hey," Link suddenly spoke up, gesturing towards the Door of Time.

Zelda turned to see that the Sages had returned from the Sacred Realm, and it was easy to tell that something was different about them. The way they carried themselves, the look in their eyes…

"How long were we in there?" Saria asked.

"About twenty minutes," Link replied, folding his arms.

"It felt like _weeks_ ," Nabooru commented with a weary sigh.

"Time has no meaning in the Sacred Realm," Impa informed them. "It bends and flows however the Goddesses will it to."

"Which will work well for us," Darunia added, pumping a fist. "Because now we know how to use our powers to the fullest!"

"So what's the plan?" Ruto asked as she folded her arms.

"I've been conferring with General Kazakk here on that while you were busy," Zelda began to explain. "Link and all of you will be at the front, using your powers to first clear out any traps the enemy has put in place. Then you can use them to support the rest of our troops as we push on towards the Fortress. Our primary goal should be killing the Witch-king. If he falls, his troops will be leaderless and vulnerable."

"Cut the head off the snake," Darunia summed up. "A good plan."

"But isn't the Witch-king just a tad bit invincible?" Ruto spoke up.

"While my father failed to slay him, there must be a way to undo him," Zelda pressed. "I've no doubts that the Master Sword could do it, but since we can't rely on that just yet, we'll have to hope the holy nature of your powers will be enough."

"If we can even make it to the Fortress, that is," Saria muttered.

"We will if we work together," Zelda declared. "While the Sages lead from the front, I want the Gorons to secure the cliffs while the rest of us force our way through the Valley."

"We can chuck rocks at them once we've done so too," Darunia pointed out.

Zelda nodded. "Yes, since we can't get our own archers up there, that will have to do."

"So does that mean we're ready, then?" Link asked. "Because I personally want to get rid of these guys as soon as possible."

Zelda nodded. "Alert all your peoples. We march on the Gerudo's Fortress in one hour."

XXXXXX

 _Gerudo Valley_ …

Despite his rather soured opinion of his foster mothers, Ganondorf was quite thankful that they had taught him as much as they had about magic, because without it, he would have been spotted long ago by the many sentries patrolling the Valley. As the Goblins had clambered up the cliffs to gain the high ground, Ganondorf had had to try his luck with even more dangerous cliffs and pitfalls further off, using magic interchangeably to either hide himself or scale the cliff face.

As he did so, he took note of their activity.

 _They're digging themselves in_ , he observed. _The Hylians must be planning to counter-attack_.

Just as he reached the highest point in the entire Valley, he heard a fierce roar that sounded like a mix between an exploding volcano and a dragon. When he saw the beast responsible, lying in wait inside the old Gerudo archery range, his eyes widened in utter shock.

 _The Hylians will be marching right into a death-trap_ , he realized. _There's no way they can stand up to…whatever that thing is_!

He could sense even from far away that this was a beast with an incredible amount of power, far more than what he possessed as of now. But he knew that he could not seek them out and warn them. Not yet. They would not believe him, and would probably try to kill him right then and there. He had to time his appearance perfectly.

With a quiet rumble in his throat, Ganondorf decided to stick around and monitor the situation until the Hylians arrived. Then, when that fire demon entered the fray, he would join in and distract it long enough for them to escape, because he knew this was not a battle they were going to win on their own. The Goddesses had been quite certain about that. It was not the most well-thought out plan, but right now he didn't see any other options that would not end up with him being butchered by the Hylians for thinking he was still their enemy.

 _I really hope this "faith" thing doesn't come back to bite me in the ass_ , he mused bitterly as he knelt down to assume his watch. _Because Goddesses know they sometimes have a rather unflattering sense of humor_ …

XXXXXX

Gorons, Kokiri, Hylians, Gerudo, and Zoras by the thousands marched across Hyrule Field towards the desert, countless banners fluttering in the breeze. At the head of each force was their respective Sage.

"I can't believe you guys just flat-out ignored me!" Mido groused as he walked right behind Saria. "I'm the Chief of the Kokiri! I'm supposed to be the one in charge!"

Saria rolled her eyes. "You gave _yourself_ that title, Mido. Nobody's ever taken it seriously. And I bet your own ego made you think it was given to you."

"Someone has to be in charge!" Mido complained.

"The _Great Deku Tree_ is in charge," Saria reminded him coldly, looking over her shoulder with her eyes narrowed. "And it was his decision for us to join the fight, as much as he didn't want it to be so. Hyrule needs every person it can get."

"And that's just it!" Mido whined, throwing up his hands. "You and the Great Deku Tree always take _Link's_ side! What's so great about him?! It took him forever to get a fairy, and then it didn't even bother to stick around! That's how lame he is!"

Saria had had enough. She stopped and whirled around, causing Mido to stop as well, while the other Kokiri continued to march past them. "You want to know why I always take Link's side? Why the Great Deku Tree cares about him so much? It's for a lot of reasons, some of which I highly doubt you'll ever let yourself believe because you're so determined to hate him! First of all, he's kind, generous, and brave, and you're a self-centered jerk with an ego the size of the Lost Woods! The only reason you're so mean to Link because you're jealous of our friendship! You think he's trying to ' _steal me away from you_ ', well guess what?! I was never yours to begin with, Mido! I don't want to be involved with a selfish prat who thinks he's entitled to whatever he wants! So no, unless you miraculously change your tune and start being nicer to everybody, _and mean it_ , you might as well just get over me! Second of all, he never had a fairy before because he is a Hylian, not a Kokiri! Haven't you noticed how's he aged over the last three years? And the Great Deku Tree let him stay because he knew Link was destined to become a legendary hero! And you know what? He did! He traveled through time to save the world from an evil king who _murdered our father_ in another time that Link made sure never happened! So I suggest you start acting grateful for what he did and accept that he's a far better man than you!"

Huffing angrily, Saria whipped around and stalked off to take her place at the head of the Kokiri forces, while Mido was left stunned into silence and immobility. Soon the Know-It-All Brothers came up beside him, shaking him out of his stupor.

"Jeez, that's rough, man," the first brother commented.

"She's right, though," the second brother pointed out.

Mido waved them off irritably as he started walking again. "Shut up, you two."

Nabooru, having overheard Saria's tirade, smirked to herself as she glanced over her shoulder at the Emerald Sage. _Way to go, kid_.

Meanwhile, at the head of the entire army, General Kazakk regarded his princess next to him, seated on a snow-white horse. "Your Majesty, I strongly urge you not to enter battle yourself. You're only fourteen, and we don't know much about what to expect from the enemy here."

"Your concern is noted, General," Zelda replied. "But our people need to see that I am with them as my father was."

"You are not the warrior he was, Your Majesty," Kazakk somberly responded.

Zelda sighed. "I have a feeling that will change before we see this war's end."

A few hours later, their forces arrived at Lon Lon Ranch, the halfway point of their long march. "We'll rest here tonight," Zelda declared. "Surely the proprietors can accommodate us."

"I think they will," Link interjected as he rode up alongside on Epona. "I know the both of them personally. They're good people."

"As did my father," Zelda agreed. "We can let them tend to our horses, as well as commission more steeds for those of our knights that lost their horses in the last battle." She turned in her saddle to address her troops. "Make camp! We rest here for tonight!" She then turned to Link. "Tell the Sages to meet us inside the ranch if they so wish."

As the Hyrulean forces set up campfires and tents all around the hill below the stockade that surrounded the ranch, Link, Zelda, and the Sages all trudged up the steep path that led inside. Clearing her throat, Zelda strode up to the front door of the ranch house that faced the stables and rapped her knuckles smartly against it.

"Just a minute!" the sing-song voice of a young girl answered from somewhere inside.

Suddenly they heard the distressed clucking and wing-flapping of disturbed Cuccos before the door opened, revealing a girl with red hair that Link knew very well. Her eyes widened almost comically as she saw who was at the door, her mouth stuck in an "o" shape as the words she had been about to say died in her throat.

"A-are you P-Princess Zelda?" Malon managed to squeak out, not yet noticing Link and the Sages.

Zelda bowed her head respectfully as she asked, "Yes. Is your father here? I must speak with him immediately."

"U-um, hold on," Malon stammered, shooing away a Cucco that had gotten too close to the door. "He's upstairs right now, t-taking a nap."

Malon then shut the door, and they heard her shuffle past the chickens some more before stomping up the stairs with the distinctive thumps that could only be produced by an over-excited child. "DADDY! PRINCESS ZELDA IS HERE!"

As Talon's bedroom window was right above their entourage, they could clearly hear the ranch owner come to with a snort. "What in tarnation?!"

"Daddy, get up! Quick! Princess Zelda herself is here to see you!"

"Now Malon, I know you want me to work a little more around here, but if you're pullin' my leg again like you did last week…"

"Dad, just come down already! I don't wanna keep her waiting!"

Talon sighed quite loudly. "Alright, I'll be right down."

A ghost of a smile played out on Zelda's lips as she overheard the sweet innocence of family banter. Malon was lucky to still have her father. Zelda missed hers dearly.

Soon enough the heavy thump of someone fairly large descending a staircase from inside alerted them that Talon was about to arrive, and the door promptly opened again. Before he regarded his visitors, he turned his head and called out, "Malon, could you get those Super Cuccos back in their cages?" He then turned back, his eyes widening in surprise to find that his daughter had indeed been telling the truth. "Princess Zelda? To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I wish I could say this visit was for pleasure," Zelda answered gravely. "The kingdom is under attack, and my forces are marching towards the Gerudo Desert to face them. We've traveled a long way, and we've still a ways to travel yet, so I ask that you let my troops rest on your property for the night. We also need more horses for our knights; we lost many when Hyrule Castle was attacked a number of days ago."

"My goodness, we're behind on the times," Talon muttered in shock, scratching his balding head. "We have about forty horses we can spare, but the rest we need for farmwork."

"It's better than nothing, thank you," Zelda gratefully replied. "We're willing to fully compensate you for your horses as well."

"I appreciate that, Princess," Talon said with a nod. "Where's your father anyway? Knowing how he is, it seems rather surprising that he's letting you lead the army rather than doing so himself."

Zelda's head lowered sadly. "My father's dead. He was killed in the battle at Hyrule Castle. I lead the Kingdom now."

"Oh…" Talon uttered in shock. "So much happened and we never knew…I'm sorry about the King, Your Highness."

Zelda took a deep breath and straightened, hiding her feelings behind the mask of leadership. "There is nothing that can be done about that. Thank you for your help."

Zelda turned to go, but Talon exclaimed, "Ah, uh, Princess? Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?"

"My soldiers brought tents," Zelda replied simply.

Talon opened the door wider. "Oh, nonsense! I can't let the Princess of Hyrule sleep out in a meager tent when I've got a spare bed! Would you like to stay? Malon always loves guests!"

Zelda managed an embarrassed smile. "Well…if you're fine with it…"

Talon beamed. "Of course! We're happy to accommodate you! And tell your soldiers we have some milk and cheese we can also spare for your supplies!"

XXXXXX

 _The next day_ …

Link sighed as he and the Hyrulean Army left Lon Lon behind, refreshed and resupplied. When Malon had realized he was going with them to what she knew would be a terrifying and brutal battle, she had begged him not to go. Though he knew he had to go, and why, the vehemence of Malon's pleading had rattled him nevertheless and allowed him to realize war for what it was.

For all he knew, he was riding to his death today.

He looked to his left to see Zelda's eyes similarly clouded over with unhappy thoughts, both of them almost mechanically guiding their horses along, the rest of the allied armies marching behind them.

Abruptly Zelda spoke, jarring Link from his thoughts.

"Perhaps I am speaking blasphemy against the Goddesses. But…I find myself wondering whether or not Hyrule would be better off without the Triforce."

Link blinked in surprise. "I-I'm sorry?"

Zelda looked directly at him, her eyes misted with tears not yet shed. "First it was the Demon Kings. Then Ganondorf. All of them came for the Power of Gold." She looked ahead towards the desert, a bitter gleam in her eyes. "The Triforce." She looked down and sighed. "And now comes Sauron. Even other realms beyond the reach of the Goddesses have begun to take notice of the power entrusted to us. Our land's holiest relic. And yet…why now do I find myself questioning its divinity?"

Link didn't know what he could say, and could only reply with an open-mouthed look not unlike a fish out of water. Zelda just shot him a pleading look. "Link, you don't have to say anything. I'm just…thinking out loud."

"But…" Link finally managed to say. "Why are you even thinking such things?"

Zelda sighed. "As sheltered as you were from the world in your youth, you might not understand. The first beings to pursue the Triforce were the Demon Kings of ages past. The Demon Wars ravaged Hyrule, and forever altered its shape and nature. Then Ganondorf came in a future that, thankfully, you thwarted, but I sometimes wonder whether or not that future is still playing out in another timeline, split off due to your actions. And now my father lies dead, and yet another villain seeks the Triforce for his own bloody ends." She slowly shook her head. "It will never end, will it?" Her eyes met Link's, and he saw such pain in them that he felt rooted to the spot. "Even if we do prevail here, there will be others. That much power is a temptation few can ignore." Her last words were spoken barely above a whisper as her gaze fell downward. "Perhaps that much power shouldn't be allowed to exist."

Link was silent for a few minutes, thinking of a response. "Maybe…the Goddesses see it as a test. A test of our character." Zelda looked up at Link, awaiting his explanation. "Driving off the tempted while at the same time driving away the temptation in our own hearts. Hyrule _needs_ the Triforce, Zelda. It's our connection to the Goddesses."

Link sighed inwardly as Zelda refocused her attention ahead of her. It probably wasn't the strongest of arguments, but it was the best he could come up with. He just hoped that this negative thinking of hers didn't stick around, because he was scared that he might start thinking it too.

XXXXXX

It was approaching late afternoon when the Hyrulean forces reached the borders of the Gerudo Desert. Steeling themselves, the new Sages took their places beside Link and Zelda at the head as they marched across the bridge that led into the canyon into which the Gerudo Fortress was built.

"Where is everybody?" Darunia murmured suspiciously at the conspicuous lack of enemy soldiers.

"They're waiting for us," Zelda replied grimly. "Nabooru, Ruto, wash away the traps they have surely placed here. Darunia, lead your Gorons up and secure the clifftops. The rest of you, stay with me and Link. We will work our way to the Fortress where the Witch-king is sure to be lurking and strike him down. Once he is destroyed, his armies will be leaderless. We'll drive them into the desert as far as we can, hopefully far enough that we can also find the portal they used to get here and close it."

"Sounds like a plan!" Nabooru declared.

The new Amber Sage thrust her hand up, taking hold of the sands of her homeland and stirring up a mighty sandstorm, which revealed countless killing pits, man traps, and other hazards. Then Ruto called upon the waters of the river surging below the bridge, the Gerudo Desert's only consistent source of water, unleashing a tidal wave that filled in the pits with mud and neutralized the other traps.

A chorus of roars, shrieks, and shouting indicated that the enemy was aware that their plan had been thwarted, and then the chaos began as swarms of Goblin archers emerged from the clifftops, pelting their enemies with their crude arrows.

"Let's get 'em, boys!" Darunia bellowed as he and his fellow Gorons rolled up into balls and barreled up the cliff face.

The Goblins screeched and squealed as the far stronger Gorons easily began driving them off the cliff, their arrows bouncing harmlessly off their rock-hard skin. At this moment, hordes of enemy soldiers began to pour out from the canyon, and with a resounding chorus of yells, the two multinational armies smashed into each other. With both sides forced into a bottleneck, neither could gain a distinct advantage as they pushed against each other. The Gorons were close to securing the cliffs when the Goblins abruptly unleashed an unpleasant surprise; they began tossing satchel bombs, an Isengard innovation which was now standard issue amongst Sauron's soldiers, which had much more of an effect on the Gorons. The Gorons, however, were not without their own explosives, and both sides took care not to bring down the cliffs as they chucked bombs at each other.

Link's skill, combined with the raw magical prowess of the Sages, allowed them to slowly gain ground against the armies of Mordor, their soldiers cheering them on as they followed. The ground was thick with the bodies of the broken and dying, and many times soldiers tripped over the bloodied corpses as they struggled to maintain ranks. Hoping to instill panic, various Corsairs began to hurl firebombs, which were little more than bottles of alcohol and oil set alight with a strip of cloth. Hylians and Zoras screamed as they caught on fire, but Ruto was quick to put out any fires that emerged and heal the affected troops. Nabooru buffeted the enemy troops with another sandstorm, blinding and disorienting them. Saria and the Kokiri pelted the enemy with Deku Nuts and slingshots, stabbed with their short Deku Spears, and smacked guts and knees with Deku Sticks. Gerudo warriors slashed with their scimitars, focusing especially on their Easterling and Haradrim counterparts. Impa tossed various throwing daggers and shuriken at any officers and captains she could see, attempting to sow disarray, while swiftly cutting down any Orc or man stupid enough to close with her with her Sheikah knife.

With the armies of Mordor unable to take advantage of their superior numbers, the superior skill of the armies of Hyrule was beginning to pay dividends, and the servants of Sauron were slowly being driven further and further into the canyon towards the Fortress. The more ground they gained, the more their spirits lifted until some soldiers were singing various songs of glory and heroism as they pressed on.

And then, an Orc-horn blew, and the enemy forces broke and began to retreat. The Hyruleans couldn't believe their luck. "Cavalry to the front!" Zelda declared, raising her Orc-bloodstained sword high. "Pikemen behind, and then archers form up next!"

The Hyruleans scrambled to reform their lines, and couldn't have known that they had played right into their enemy's _real_ trap.

A trap that they had now decided to spring.

Shouts of triumph suddenly became cries of pain and terror as a massive explosion, without warning, blasted a hundred soldiers into the air near the bridge. Link and Zelda reeled as they felt the massive surge of dark energy behind them and wheeled their horses around. At that moment, the roar of the explosion became the roar of something…else. Something surrounded by shadow and flame. Something _huge_.

All eyes widened in shock and horror as a massive winged demon wreathed in flames took shape right in the center of the Hyrulean army that had so far made it over the bridge. Its roar was like the wrath of Death Mountain itself, its beady eyes gleaming with malice. It stood well over four times the height of a man, with a skull-like head flanked by two massive horns that curved downward towards its chin. A great mane of flames trailed down from the back of its head down to between its shoulder blades. Its enormous wings forced it into a permanent hunched forward position, and a long, thin tail wriggled behind it.

Soldiers cried out in terror as the Balrog of Morgoth summoned a falchion of fire and sorcery from within the core of itself and unleashed its wrath upon them, sending flaming bodies flying with every swing. Arrows, bombs, and throwing spears were launched at the monster, all to no effect as it continued to lay waste. Suddenly, with a low screech, the Balrog lowered its head and unleashed waves of fire from its mouth, incinerating countless soldiers as other unfortunate survivors scattered, flailing and screaming as the flames licked at their bodies.

"Princess!" came the abrupt cry of General Kazakk. "Ahead of us!"

She and Link turned to see that the enemy had not retreated out of fear.

They had done so to make room for a horde of Attack Trolls and Fire Drakes, which were closing in fast.

Link immediately came to a horrifying conclusion. "They baited us…"

Knowing that they had no other choice, Zelda cried out desperately, "Retreat! Fall back! Quickly, before they trap us here!"

It was at that moment that the roar of the Balrog caught her attention, uncomfortably close.

Her horse bucked in terror as the fire demon loomed over her, and she was ultimately thrown off her steed and crashed to the ground with a grunt. Zelda's eyes widened in fear as the Balrog raised its sword high, prepared to smite her utterly.

She screamed as the sword came down…

…and then the Balrog stumbled back as an explosion of fire and darkness shattered the monster's weapon, and Zelda could only stare up in open-mouthed shock at the most unlikely savior of all.

" _Ganondorf_ …?" she marveled.

Without turning to look back at the princess as he maintained his dark shield, Ganondorf bellowed, "Get out of here, Princess! This is not a battle you will win today! **_GO_**! While I have it distracted!"

Zelda could see that the Balrog's honor guard had entered the fray and were exacting terrible losses on her forces. They had to go.

"RETREAT!" Zelda cried out. "RETREAT! Return to Hyrule Castle! This battle is lost!"

"Zelda!" she heard Link cry out, and saw him racing towards her on his horse, his hand outstretched.

Zelda quickly took it and got on the horse behind Link. " _FALL BACK_!" she cried out again.

The Hyrulean forces began fleeing en masse across the bridge. Covering their retreat, Nabooru stirred the sands of the desert, creating a harsh sandstorm that buffeted Sauron's forces, driving them back. As they abandoned the battle, Ganondorf faced off with Durin's Bane, the massive fire demon screaming in the Gerudo King's face, sending a rush of sweltering hot air that easily surpassed the heat of the desert and whipped at his red hair.

But Ganondorf did not falter.

He stared the Balrog down, matching its glare with his own. "You will go _no further_ , demon," Ganondorf growled.

Neither were bothered by the swirling sands around them, the sands intermingling with the fire and smoke emanating from the Balrog's flaming body and creating a truly hellish backdrop to the tense standoff. The Balrog took a threatening step forward, its two-toed foot shaking the ground.

Neither were aware that Link and Zelda both were looking on in awe.

"I am the servant of the Goddess Din," Ganondorf intoned, raising his sword. "Wielder of the legacy of the Demon King Demise! I embody the destiny of light and the rage of darkness! The Imperishable Flame is my power and my protection!"

The Balrog gave the briefest moment of pause, for it too knew of the Imperishable Flame, the light that existed in all beings both mortal and divine. But Durin's Bane collected itself, and from within the core of its own tainted flames, it summoned a great whip of fire, lashing threateningly at the air as it took another step forward.

" ** _YOU WILL GO NO FURTHER_**!" Ganondorf roared.

The Balrog snarled before its whip cracked, striking at the much smaller being. But Ganondorf teleported out of harm's way before throwing a ball of electric energy at the fallen Maia's face, making the monster stumble. Through the dust and smoke, Ganondorf could see that the last of the Hyrulean forces had made it across the bridge, and an idea sprang to mind.

He turned his head back as the Balrog recovered, conjuring a great flaming mace and raising it high. Ganondorf raised his sword to block, simultaneously raising the strongest magic barrier he could to absorb as much of the coming blow as possible.

The attack was still strong enough to throw Ganondorf backward, where he landed on the bridge. Grunting, he looked up to see that the sandstorm had died down, and Sauron's warriors were hanging back, none of them wanting to get too close to the Balrog, which had now taken flight and landed at the very edge of the bridge, glaring menacingly.

Ganondorf got to his feet and took several steps back, and Durin's Bane stepped forward onto the bridge.

Just as Ganondorf had planned.

The Gerudo King grinned as the Balrog cracked its whip again ominously.

"For all your power, there is one lesson your kind would do well to learn," Ganondorf declared as magic surged in his clenched fist.

The Balrog snarled and drew back its whip. Ganondorf raised his magically-charged fist.

"The bigger they are…the harder they _fall_!"

And then Ganondorf pounded his fist into the bridge, shattering the heavy wood and ropes instantly while simultaneously using the knockback to propel himself high into the air, landing on the far side of the chasm.

The Balrog was not so fortunate. It had been taken by surprise, and thus could not achieve flight and save itself. With an enraged roar, the Balrog fell into the chasm, its whip flailing uselessly as its heavy body crashed into the waters of the Gerudo River.

Panting heavily, Ganondorf leaned on his sword, too tired to look over the edge and see if his enemy had been truly vanquished.

But the Gerudo King wasn't alone, and he knew it.

Slowly he turned and found himself face-to-face with the Princess of Hyrule and the strange, green-clad boy that had defeated him in a future that never was. Both had their weapons raised and their steely eyes were wary.

"No matter what has happened," Zelda spoke with conviction, "you will _never_ again lay your hands on the Triforce."

Ganondorf forced down his dislike of them both, (which he was now certain of being a byproduct of his unpleasant connection to Demise) and replied calmly, "Not this time, Princess of Hyrule."

Ganondorf slowly sheathed his sword and folded his arms. "No…this time we talk."


	8. Chapter 8

**About time I updated something. I was up till 3 am this morning writing this, but I went through and made corrections before submitting this. Just to give you all a head's up, the next fic I update will likely be The Legend of Link and the Teufort Nine, so keep an eye on it.**

 **XXXXXX000XXXXXX**

 **Chapter Eight: The Champions Unite**

The Witch-king and the rest of the Nine silently watched as the newcomer shattered the bridge, sending the Balrog crashing into the river below.

It was not a stoic silence, more a silence brought on by shock.

"They took out the bridge," Morgomír uttered in a way that seemed to question why none of them had thought about that potential setback.

The Witch-king snarled as he whirled around and stomped past the other Nazgûl. "Get our troops out there and _fix that bridge_!"

Khamûl and Morgomír shared a glance before following their lord into the Fortress. Meanwhile, a sizzling, smoking, very wet, and very angry Balrog climbed its way out of the chasm, and all the smaller beasts wisely gave the foul-tempered demon a wide berth as it stalked off somewhere to dry off and regain its strength.

XXXXXX

 _Hyrule Castle_ …

The atmosphere of the royal strategy room was thick with tension. Link couldn't help but wonder whether they had, willingly and knowingly, invited the lion into their own home, as he, Zelda, and the Sages all warily glared at the one and only Gerudo King Ganondorf seated across from them at the far end of the table.

Ganondorf, for his part, ignored the hostile looks and steepled his hands together, leaning forward. "Am I to assume that you all have questions?" he asked quite calmly.

This seemed to dispel the tense silence, and Zelda, ever the diplomat, took the lead in what they were all certain would be an interesting conversation. "The manner of your escape was most alarming, Ganondorf."

"You can thank the Twinrova for that," Ganondorf replied coolly.

"As I suspected," Zelda muttered. "Why, then, did you come back?"

"To help you," Ganondorf answered with a knowing look. "And I think you already knew that, otherwise I would be back in that stinking dungeon rather than this room."

Zelda was silent for a few moments before she answered, "Why help us? What are you after?!"

"The complete eradication of Demise's lingering hatred from my soul, for starters."

That had _not_ been the answer any of them save Nabooru were expecting. Zelda spent a minute finding her voice again before she stuttered, "W-what? You know…?"

Ganondorf leaned back and matter-of-factly replied, "I know a great many things that may surprise you, Princess of Hyrule. My eyes have been opened by the Goddess of Power Herself, and I decided I didn't like what She had to show me. I came because not only do you need _my_ help, I need _yours_. I need the help of your Sages to purge my soul of Demise's influence once and for all. Only then can I join you two as the third of the Triforce's Champions. I would much rather be Din's champion than Demise's puppet. I have no intention of becoming a mindless beast of pure power and rage that doesn't even remember why it wants the Triforce."

Zelda opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water, and eventually Link took over for her.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Link asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.

"Perhaps Nabooru can answer that for you," Ganondorf answered with a smirk.

All eyes were now on Nabooru, who scratched the back of her head sheepishly as she said, "Uh…after Ganondorf drove off the Twinrova Sisters…"

"Wait, he did _what_?!" Link exclaimed, looking back at Ganondorf.

"The Twinrova… _disagreed_ with my decision not to follow in Demise's footsteps. So I banished them from our lands. Now, if you would be so kind as to allow my half-sister to continue…"

Link coughed awkwardly and allowed Nabooru to resume.

"Anyway, after those old hags were kicked out, Ganondorf and I went to the Altar of Spirit together. And after Din gave me Her blessing, She spoke to Ganondorf, though I didn't hear what She said to him. But Din spoke to us both, and I saw him pledge himself to Her as Her Champion. As soon as that hideous parasite is out of his soul, we can definitely trust him."

"There is another reason it would be to all your great benefit if Demise is fully purged," Ganondorf spoke up. "Long ago, the Demon King cursed all of Din's favored peoples into forced servitude and an existence tainted by darkness. Din desires their freedom. Moblins, Lizalfos, Darknuts, Wizzrobes, and countless other monster tribes. These tribes were favored by Din, just as Nayru favors the Hylians and Farore favors the Kokiri, Zoras, and Gorons. Freeing them will give us access to an army large and strong enough to challenge Sauron's full might."

Zelda, understandably, was not convinced. "Tell me, then. Why should any of us believe you?"

Ganondorf quirked an eyebrow. "Besides how I'm literally offering myself to your Sages? Use those gifted eyes of yours, then. As Nayru's Chosen, you were granted the gift of foresight and the ability to see the truth of a person's heart in their eyes. That's how you caught on to my plans as soon as I had set foot in this castle, is it not?" He leaned forward, folding his hands and fixing his gaze on the princess. "Look into my eyes. Look past the hate in your heart and in my own, and see for yourself whether I am sincere in my words."

Tense silence followed as Zelda stared back, her eyes burrowing into his own, searching his very soul. Neither of them so much as blinked.

 _I…I see so much more in those eyes now_ , Zelda realized to herself. _Before, all I saw was greed and hate. I still see them there, but…they seem…almost at war with…other things. Those eyes have witnessed the future, just as I have. These are the eyes of a man who has seen his destiny and wants no part of it_ …

Finally, Zelda looked away first, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"I-it's…incredible," she whispered in disbelief. "Beyond the lust and hunger, there is _truth_ in his words. He truly realizes he carries the legacy of Demise and wants to free himself from it."

"Perhaps…there is one more way to prove beyond a shadow of doubt, that he speaks the truth," Impa abruptly spoke up, still not entirely convinced this wasn't an elaborate deception. "Perhaps one of us should speak with Sage Rauru in the Sacred Realm. Given his position, he is close to the Golden Goddesses, and if this is truly Their will, They will certainly have spoken with him on the matter."

"Whatever you must do, I suggest you do it quickly," Ganondorf answered with a hint of impatience. "The sooner Demise is purged from my body, the sooner we can act. I would estimate we only have a few days before Sauron's forces repair the bridge I destroyed."

"Agreed," Nabooru added. "And they'll probably make this one bigger and stronger, to accommodate those giant creatures with the towers on their backs. They're utterly useless in the confines of the canyons that border the desert, and I'm certain the enemy knows it. The old bridge just would not have supported that much weight."

"That should give us enough time to muster all our available forces," Darunia said. "I agree with Ganondorf, surprisingly enough. The sooner we get this done, the better."

XXXXXX

Inside the Gerudo's Fortress, the Witch-king once more took the palantír in his hands and called for his master. The Seeing-stone flared up as Sauron's Eye took shape before condensing into the Dark Lord himself.

" _Report_."

"Durin's Bane was effective at driving back the enemy, Master," the Witch-king replied. "Today, victory is ours, but it did not come without minor cost. They took out the only bridge out of this canyon as they retreated."

" _And that is minor,_ _ **how**_?"

"The bridge would have needed to be replaced anyway," the Witch-king answered. "It would not have been able to support the weight of the Mûmakil. I already have our men working on a larger, sturdier bridge to accommodate all our troops and allow us to move our vast armies more effectively into the mainland."

" _How long_?"

"No more than a week, My Lord."

Sauron did not sound placated in the slightest. " _That is a week our enemies now have to marshal their full strength and dig themselves in_."

"Which is why I ask once more for more troops, enough to crush them all in one fell swoop."

" _Name them_."

"Khamûl, Morgomír, and I require our Fell Beasts. I also request the aid of the Dragon Lord, and as many giant bats and _crebáin_ as can be spared. I desire an aerial advantage as well. I also need another ten thousand troops, and some Mountain Giants and Ogres. And finally, I need ten catapults, preferably with Isengard bombs, as well as five ballistae. I've no doubts our next battle will be on open field. And this time, I intend to win it."

" _See that you do, Er-Murazor. All the requested troops will be sent immediately. But do not delay. These are the last troops I will send to aid you. They should be more than enough to crush your enemies. If you fail me again, my Witch-king…I will personally lead the next assault myself, and you will experience a punishment like no other, one that will make you beg for a death we both know cannot come. Is that_ _ **clear**_?"

The Witch-king bowed his head. "Yes, Lord."

" _Now begone. Do not trouble me again until victory is yours_."

The palantír faded back to its empty black as the Dark Lord departed, leaving his greatest servant to his task. The Witch-king turned to see Khamûl waiting for him by one of the entryways, likely having been listening in.

"Bring Morgomír and the others here. And also our generals. We will use this time to devise a battle plan for our next engagement."

Within minutes, all nine of the Nazgûl were gathered together in the Witch-king's chambers. With them came many leading commanders and emissaries among the native forces of the Dark Lord; upon the death of Gothmog, the High-chieftain among Orc-kind had become another ancient survivor of the War of the Last Alliance eons before, Shagnâkh, an Orc of broad stature and grim face even among his own kind, with a blind left eye hidden by a small patch of chainmail he had sewn himself into his own eyebrow that dangled freely; among the warlords of the Easterlings of Rhûn there was the greatest among their chiefs, who lorded over the largest of their many cities of gold and bronze, and his name was Saradej, and he wore the helmet and bronze-scaled armor of his people, but beneath it were striking fabrics of indigo and red; among them too was the mightiest of the Urûk-hai of Isengard, Saruman's first and deadliest, and he was Lurtz, tallest among the Urûks, and his black hair was tied in a partial bun, allowing some to flow freely down his back, and the mark of the White Hand was stamped upon his cruel face; and from the deserts of Harad was also Nohándu, the first of the Haradrim chieftains to discover the mighty Oliphaunts that roamed the great bamboo forests of Far Harad in the south, and his desert rags were accompanied by tokens of topaz and bone, and on his back was a great war-frame, adorned with bits of bone and framed by the filed-down tusks of his first Mûmak, while his grim face was painted with a dark-red warpaint, and his nose was pierced by a decoration much like the tusks of the great beasts; and there too were the two Goblin Kings of Moria and the Ettenmoors, Durbûrz and Gorkil respectively; and lastly there came Sharkû, senior among all the Warg-riders and probably older even than Shagnâkh, and he was bald save for a few remaining strands of ugly brown hair, and his grizzled face was marred by three long scars received long ago from a Warg whom he had not showed proper respect.

With all his commanders gathered, the Witch-king unfurled the map of Hyrule and discussed his newest stratagem.

"We will divide our infantry into three separate columns. The largest column in the center will contain the main body of the Orc army, as well as the Goblins. I myself will lead this contingent, and with me will go Shagnâkh, Gorkil, and Durbûrz, and Durin's Bane behind us. The left column shall contain the Easterlings and Haradrim, and shall be led by Khamûl, Saradej, Nohándu, and one of the Mûmakil. The right column shall contain all the Urûks of Mordor and Isengard, and also the Corsairs and Dunlendings, and the other Mûmak. Morgomír shall lead this force, alongside Lurtz. We will soon be receiving bats of Dol Guldur and the _crebáin_ of Dunland to take control of the sky, and Drogoth shall lead them. Scattered throughout all three columns will be our beasts of war and siege machines. Finally, the remainder of the Nazgûl shall lead our cavalry into battle. Sharkû and his Warg-riders will flank our enemies on the left, and the Easterling cataphracts on the right. Three Nazgûl will lead each force."

"What is the purpose of splitting our armies thus?" Khamûl asked.

"The next battle will be of a scale unseen since the War of the Last Alliance," the Witch-king replied. "Our enemies are certain to field every available soldier they have when it comes. It will be difficult to maintain effective communication throughout our army as a whole, as we do not have the means nor the terrain to replicate Azog's methods as of yet. Splitting our vast armies into smaller, more manageable forces that each treat themselves as a separate entity will allow them more maneuverability. This fight will be so immense that each of you will essentially be commanding a separate battle."

"And what is our common goal?" Morgomír asked.

"My forces, the largest contingent, will strike them directly in the center and keep them occupied, while the other two slowly work their way towards flanking them on either side. Our cavalry units will then close off any hope of escape by swinging around the main battle and covering the rear. Once they're trapped, we'll keep hammering away while our aerial units strike from above until all enemy forces are eliminated. No prisoners are to be taken."

It was at this moment that Lurtz boldly spoke up, for he was one of the few who was not outwardly intimidated by Sauron's wraiths. "Not a bad plan, in theory. I see a problem, however. We have no idea what our enemies are planning. We do not yet know the full strength of their numbers, or even what their own tactical plans may be. Our _crebáin_ are good for more than just fodder and shitty food."

If he was offended by the Isengarder's interruption, the Witch-king gave no indication of it. "As Saruman's second-in-command, those birds answer to you, correct?"

"And I bet he's the one tellin' 'em to shit all over our tents," Shagnâkh grunted under his breath.

"Look for that petty bullshit amongst your own kind, _snaga_ filth," Lurtz sneered, having overheard the comment.

"Fuck you, maggot," Shagnâkh sneered right back. "At least I wasn't born from a pile'a _mud_!"

The two of them growled and snarled, preparing to reach for their weapons.

"I will kill you both if you start a quarrel in my presence," the Witch-king interrupted in an icy tone that managed to quell even Lurtz's growing temper.

The two of them quieted down and removed their hands from their weapons, but spent a moment glaring hatefully at one another before turning their attention back towards the Witch-king.

"This is our base plan. But we will use the _crebáin_ to gain information to modify it as necessary. Now, if that is all, _get out_."

No one hesitated for an instant.

XXXXXX

Rauru had indeed spoken the truth, that Ganondorf had been visited by Din Herself and instructed to approach Zelda and the Sages for help. So now the six Sages were gathered together in the Chamber of the Sages, with Link and Zelda off to the side, watching the proceedings. And finally, Ganondorf himself stood on the Triforce symbol in the middle of the area, where Link remembered having always appeared after slaying a dungeon boss.

Rauru, senior among their order, was an old man with a bald head and white sideburns that connected with his mustache. His robes were of red and gold, flickering in the ethereal light of the chamber. "Ganondorf Dragmire," he began, his voice full of wisdom and authority. "On behalf of the Goddess of Power, welcome to the Chamber of the Sages."

Ganondorf, for his part, responded by idly tapping on the glass-like surface of the blue prism of energy surrounding him. "Is this really necessary?"

"I'm afraid it is," Rauru responded calmly. "There's no telling what will happen once we begin. The process will awaken what remains of Demise's spirit, and he will do whatever he can to preserve himself. The most dangerous thing he could do is directly possess your body, thus endangering yourself as well as the Sacred Realm."

Ganondorf folded his arms and sighed heavily. He didn't like it, but he knew the old man was right. Even in this grossly-diminished form, he knew Demise could not be underestimated. "Very well."

"It is also possible that Demise may try to bribe you with promises of power or other such things," Rauru continued. "Should he do so, can you resist his temptations?"

At this, Ganondorf threw his head back and laughed bitterly. "And what can he possibly give me? There's hardly enough left of him for one to even call him a ghost! Our great Goddess of the Sands showed me the truth of whatever bribe he might come up with. He will not deceive me."

"There is one final thing," Rauru went on. "I must warn you; when the process begins…it will be the most painful experience of your life. It will be a pain not unlike having your arm ripped from your body by a great force, only it will be a piece of your soul that is being torn off. Are you prepared?"

"There is an old Gerudo proverb that I shall answer you with," Ganondorf replied grimly. "That which does not kill you will make you stronger."

"An important lesson for all, I daresay," Rauru responded with a surprising note of humor. "Shall we begin?"

Ganondorf closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady himself for what he knew was coming. Releasing a shuddering breath, he opened his eyes and affixed Rauru with a steely gaze. "I'm ready."

Rauru inclined his head before glancing at the other Sages. " _You Sages that have inherited the holy powers of old_ ," he intoned. " _By the grace of the Golden Goddesses, let us cleanse this poor soul of evil and purge our sacred world once and for all of the lingering taint of this black servant of Majora_!"

All six Sages raised their hands in the air as a ball of light energy colored like their respective elements glowed above each of their heads. The whole time, Link and Zelda's eyes were on Ganondorf, and both could see how he tensed, bracing himself as the orbs became beams of light that then struck him all at once.

Link was pretty sure the scream from Ganondorf that followed would haunt him for days.

" ** _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH_**!"

It was not the bellow of rage Link was familiar with; it was the howl of a man whose entire body had seemingly gone up in flames. Zelda gulped as she saw Ganondorf fall on his knees, rattled by his cries of agony.

And then Link's heart skipped a beat as he heard Ganondorf utter, "M-make it stop…! It hurts…it hurts!"

The Gerudo King was now convulsing on the floor, seizing violently. Nabooru in particular looked profoundly disturbed by this, and for a brief moment her own Spirit energy wavered, but Rauru noticed quickly, snapping his head in her direction.

"Do not falter, Sage Nabooru! For his sake, _do not falter_!"

" _Aaaargh_ …make it stop!" Ganondorf cried, and they did not fail to notice that Ganondorf's voice was becoming deeper, and his body was slowly starting to become more beastly. His fingernails were growing into claws, and his hair was starting to become longer, almost flame-like. " ** _MAKE IT STOP_**!"

Link and Zelda both paled. "Oh Goddesses…" Link uttered in horror. "He's turning into Ganon!"

With a noticeable look of alarm, Rauru cried, "Demise is trying to possess him!"

XXXXXX

Ganondorf's entire world was one that contained only soul-ripping agony. He could feel it pulsing in every part of his body, and deep within the core of his being. He could barely draw in breath, and his whole vision had gone white. He kept screaming, even though his throat had gone raw.

And for the first time in his life, Ganondorf Dragmire begged.

"It hurts! _MAKE IT STOP_! …P-please…make it stop…"

 _I can make it stop_ …

The voice came from the very edge of his subconscious, deep and strangely-soothing. Yet Ganondorf was in too much agony to answer, yet the pain seemed to dull a bit.

 _I can make it stop_ …

Were he in full possession of his faculties, he would have been horrified by the words that came out of his mouth.

"P-please…I beg you…"

 _Let me in, and I will make it stop. I will make sure no one hurts you ever again_.

"Please…anything…"

 _Good…good…that's it. Open your mind. Let me in, and it will all be over_ …

It hurt so much. He could no longer remember why he even felt this pain, because to him, it seemed as though it had existed forever. He just wanted it to stop.

And then he heard another voice, piercing through his mind with stunning clarity. It was higher-pitched from youth, and strangely familiar.

 _Ganondorf! You have to fight him! Don't believe anything he tells you! He's the cause of your pain! Fight him_!

Before Ganondorf could even fully register this, another voice, also familiar, broke through the haze of suffering.

 _Ganondorf! Your people need their king! I need my brother! You can't give in, not when you're so close_!

"N-Nabooru…?"

Then the dark voice returned, and this time it sounded more threatening.

 _Do not listen to them. Only I can save you_.

And then one final voice made itself heard, that of a boy, a boy he knew all too well.

 _I know you can do it, Ganondorf! You don't have to be his puppet! You have to keep fighting, even if you're afraid! Only you can end your pain! Not him! Only you can end this!_ _ **You are NOT Demise**_!

It seemed then that the pain began to fade, and Ganondorf began to reclaim himself as their words rang in his mind, beating back his agony and giving him strength he didn't even know he had.

 ** _DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM, FOOL! YOU BELONG TO ME_**!

Ganondorf gritted his teeth, strength returning to his body, and at the edge of his vision he could see a vaguely human-shaped figure of pure darkness looming over him, angry but impotent, and he glared at the source of his suffering.

"No."

The figure reached a hand threateningly towards him, its eyes burning like hot coals.

"I belong…to _no one_."

All watched in awe and wonder as Ganondorf shakily stood, his eyes now pure amber, and the Gerudo King then threw his hands skyward and unleashed a defiant roar.

"I AM _NOT_ YOUR PUPPET! GET! OUT! _OF_! **_MY_**! **_BODY_**!"

Link and Zelda were thrown off their feet as a foul miasma of dark malice exploded out of Ganondorf's body, shattering the prism in the process.

"Sages!" Rauru cried. "Trap him, now!"

The six beams of light blessedly left Ganondorf's body and swirled around the gathering darkness, and soon the sagely beams became magical chains that entrapped the darkness as it condensed into a more-recognizable form. Forced on his knees, his eyes were now black, empty pits, and his wild mane was cold like ash and still, nothing like the raging flame it had once been, but the diminished figure of Demise stared them all down defiantly nonetheless, his sharp teeth bared as he struggled futilely against the Sages' chains. Light and Shadow held his two arms in place, while Spirit and Forest enshackled his legs. Water kept his broad body restrained, and Fire was firmly locked around his neck.

" **Urgh…curse you, Sages** ," Demise rumbled angrily.

Rauru spared him only the briefest glance of contempt, and then pointedly looked away. "The Demon King is detained! But there is only one way we can destroy him for good. Link…take up now the Master Sword, and smite what remains of this agent of pestilence!"

Link gulped as he drew the mighty sword from its pedestal, feeling that familiar energy pour through his body, that rush of adrenaline and hope. The Master Sword glowed blue in his hands as he turned back towards the scene.

" _Wait. Perhaps you might spare me a moment of your time_?"

Link and Zelda both jumped at this as Link looked down at the divine weapon in his hands. "D-did the Master Sword just _talk_ …?!"

To Link's confusion, Rauru did not appear surprised in the slightest. "Ah, 'tis been a long time since I've heard your voice in this chamber, my dear Fi."

Link nearly dropped the sword in shock as a crystal-blue figure emerged from the Master Sword, taking the cerulean glow with it. The Hero of Time gawked at the strange figure now floating in front of him. It had a distinctly-female appearance, with two wing-like flaps of fabric instead of arms. Its hair, if it could be called that, tapered to a rounded point over the top of its head, and a large blue gem grew from her chest. She almost looked like a living statue of gentle blue, graceful and poised.

"Greetings, Master," she spoke to Link in a voice that was devoid of emotion, and yet somehow conveyed a sense of wistful sadness all the same. "I regret not having a chance to speak with you when last you had need of me."

Link blinked several times just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "W-who…are you?"

She spun gracefully in the air, the movement producing a crystalline sound like a high-pitched bell. "I am Fi, the Spirit of the Master Sword. I went into a deep sleep long ago to assume my task of maintaining the Master Sword's power, but in this sacred chamber I can awaken for a brief time and speak with you."

Fi glanced towards the restrained Demon King, her gaze empty but intelligent. "Many eons ago I confirmed the eradication of the Demon King, and yet all these centuries later, he stands before us again, though diminished in power by one-thousand two hundred and fifty percent. But this time, it is not Hyrule he has wronged, or the Goddess, or the Hero. This time, he has wronged one man in hopes that he would wrong others. Ganondorf Dragmire of the Gerudo, you are descended from a hero who was instrumental in delaying Demise's restoration long enough for the Hero of Sky to dispatch him. This is why Demise cursed your people to only produce females save for one male every century, in hopes that one would prove to be an ideal host. I calculate an eighty-five percent chance you desire to execute the Demon King yourself."

Ganondorf took a moment to process everything that had just happened before he sardonically muttered, "I think the chance of that's higher than you're plugging, lady."

"Demise's slight against you was personal in many ways. I can think of no better executioner for him."

Fi turned around and fixed her distant stare on Link. "Master…for this one act, I grant the descendent of Groose the right to use my power to silence the Demon King once and for all. Will you give it to him?"

Link raised the Master Sword, inspecting it with a pensive look on his face. Finally, without a word, he strode across the chamber and stood before Ganondorf. Ganondorf realized he could not easily read the boy's expression, for it contained many things and yet nothing at all. It was the gaze of someone wise beyond their years, who had seen far more than a boy his age should have, one who had just decided to trust someone he had once called a bitter enemy.

Link held up the navy-blue handle of the Blade of Evil's Bane, never taking his eyes off Ganondorf. "She's right. His life isn't mine to take. Not this time."

Ganondorf gingerly lifted one of his broad hands, hovering hesitantly over the handle of that legendary blade, the blade he knew would have proven to be his downfall throughout eternity. And then, he cast all doubt aside at last, and his hand closed around the Master Sword. Ganondorf felt a rush of power shoot down his spine as he held the Master Sword for himself. Somewhere behind him, Zelda gasped in bewilderment and wonder.

This power…it was different from what he had known. It was cool and calm, nothing like the burning rage he had grown accustomed to under Demise's influence. Just holding it in his hands seemed to heal his soul, and as he inspected the holy blade in his grip, he felt more whole, more _alive_ than ever before.

His eyes finally glanced up at the Demon King Demise, and they were no longer poison-yellow but hazel, and his face became hard but not cruel. With the Master Sword in hand, Ganondorf approached the kneeling Demise, standing before the source of all the torment that had ever plagued him and his people.

" **I could have given you everything** ," Demise snarled, pulling once more against his bonds to no effect. " **Together, we would have taken the Triforce. Together, we would have been** ** _unstoppable_**."

"All you would have given me is chains," Ganondorf answered coldly.

" **I would have made you a** ** _god_**."

"You would have made me an animal."

Demise struggled against his chains once more. " **You would give up immortality just to serve** ** _another_** **higher being**?!"

"Yes. Because She offered me something you can't…the freedom to choose. I'm choosing my own destiny. And now, I'm choosing to ensure that you can never again trouble this world."

Demise growled. " **You** …!"

Ganondorf never allowed Demise to finish. With one deft stroke of the Master Sword, Ganondorf beheaded the Demon King, ending him once and for all. All watched in grim silence as the head and body crumbled to ashes, which then disintegrated as well, leaving no trace behind of the ancient fiend.

Ganondorf just stood there, staring at the spot Demise had once occupied. It was over. It was finally over.

"Ganondorf!"

Ganondorf turned just in time to see Nabooru envelop him in a fierce hug, and he let out a grunt of surprise at the sudden contact. Smiling, he then patted her reassuringly on the back, and she eventually let go. He then looked up to see Rauru standing before him.

"It is done," the Sage of Light spoke with finality. "Demise is truly purged from this earth. In time, those creatures of Hyrule once bound by his curses will return untainted to our fair land. You must go forth now and gather them all. You will need them to oppose the might of Sauron, for even as we speak more troops are pouring out of the portal to reinforce the Witch-king. Once that bridge is repaired, the gates of the Dark World themselves will open. You must be ready."

Ganondorf just nodded respectfully at the old man before offering the Master Sword back to Link. "This is yours by right. I thank you for letting me use it just this once."

Link nodded wordlessly as he took back the evil-banishing blade.

"Link," Rauru abruptly spoke up. "There is only one way you can beat back the darkness bleeding into Hyrule. You must take up the Master Sword once more. You are ready for its power as you are now, thanks to all the knowledge and experience you have gained."

"But…if I have the Sword, then that means the gate to the Sacred Realm will be open!" Link exclaimed, worried about the repercussions.

Rauru nodded. "Yes. A necessary risk, but you three were chosen by the Golden Goddesses themselves. You are their Champions. Even though it sleeps here in the Sacred Realm, the power of the Triforce flows through you nevertheless, for you are its Guardians. Trust in that power, and it will lead you to victory."

Darunia flashed them all a confident grin, clapping a meaty hand on both Link and Ganondorf's shoulders, making them both stumble comically. "Well, what're we waitin' for?! Let's go take this fight straight to those punks!"


End file.
